POLICY IN EUROPE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 August 1939, Page 6

POLICY IN EUROPE

MR CHAMBERLAIN DEFINES BRITISH OUTLOOK DEFENCE OF FREEDOM NO SACRIFICE DEMANDED OF GERMANY. POLISH RESTRAINT PRAISED. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 11.45 a.m.) RUGBY, August 24. “We do not seek to proclaim a special position for ourselves in Eastern Europe,” Mr. Chamberlain said in his statement in the House of Commons, “so we do not think of asking Germany to sacrifice her national interests. But we cannot agree that her national interests can only be secured by the shedding of blood or by the destruction of the independence of other States. Earlier, the Premier, having described the worsening situation of the last few weeks and the violent German Press campaign in which it was declared that Danzig could not be the subject of any conference or compromise, but must join the Reich at once, unconditionally, in which Danzig was linked with the Polish Corridor, and in which allegations were made of the illtreatment of Germans living in Poland strongly resembling those made in respect of the Sudeten Germans last year, paid a tribute to the attitude maintained by Poland. “ft must, I think, be agreed," he said, “that in face of this campaign, declarations by Polish statesmen have shown great calm and self-restraint. The Polish leaders, while they seem firm in their determination to resist an attack upon their independence, have been unprovocative. They have always been ready, as I am sure they would be ready now, to discuss their differences with the German Government if they could be sure those discussions would be carried on without threats of force and could have confidence that if an agreement were reached its terms would be respected afterwards both in the letter and spirit.” Towards the conclusion of his speech, Mr Chamberlain after an appreciative reference to King Leopold's peace appeal and solemnly expressed the hope that “reason and sanity may find way to reassert themselves.” turned to the close and cordial relations maintained with France and referred to the encouragement Britain was deriving from the sympathetic understanding displayed by the Governments in every part of the British Commonwealth. In a final references to the fundamentals of British foreign policy, Mr Chamberlain cited as an authoritative manifesto, the speech which Lord Halifax delivered at Chatham House on June 29. “We want,” Mr Chamberlain said, “to see established an international order based upon mutual understanding and mutual confidence. We cannot build up such an order unless it conforms with certain principles which arc essentia! to confidence and trust. Those principles must include the observance of international undertakings and the renunciation of force in the settlement of differences. ....“If despite all cur efforts to find a way to peace—and I have done my best —we find ourselves forced to embark upon a struggle which is bound to be fraught with suffering and misery for all mankind, we shall be fighting for the preservation of those principles the destruction of which would involve the destruction of all possibility of peace and security in the world.” EMERGENCY POWERS BILL RECEIVES ROYAL ASSENT. MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT TO STAND BY. (Received This Day. 11.0 a.m.) LONDON. August 24. The Emergency Powers Bill has re-