PREMIER’S REPLY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 51, 2 March 1939, Page 7

PREMIER’S REPLY

MOTION OF CENSURE IN COMMONS RECOGNITION OF FRANCO NO PARTISANSHIP (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) I British Official Wireless j RUGBY, Feb. 28. The Prime Minister, replying to the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Attlee, who moved a censure motion in the House of Commons, repudiated accusations that he had sought to mislead the House and to evade a debate on the issue of recognition of General Franco. The Government, said Mr. Chamberlain, had dealt with the matter without partisanship or prejudice, in conformity with its policy on the' Spanish civil war throughout its duration.

The Premier cited passages from standard works on international law to show the propriety of the Government's decision. He pointed out that General Franco was in possession of the major part of Spain and that the republican forces, through lack of munitions and food, were in no position to make further prolonged resistance. The former republican Government was dispersed. Gross Breach of Usage. Not to have given de jure recognition to General Franco's Government as the sovereign Government of Spain would have been a gross breach of international usage. To have maintained the recognition of the former republican Government, w'ould have been to encourage hopeless resistance contrary to all dictates of humanity. Moreover, to have withheld recognition longer might have embittered relations with the new Government of Spain and destroyed any Influence the

British Government might hope to have with it. Mr. Chamberlain urged upon the Opposition the consideration that by establishing friendly relations with the new Government they might hope to secure that British interests should not be jeopardised by anything that had happened. The conditions which Mr. Attlee had suggested should have been imposed could only have been extracted by war. “We could not exact terms, but what we could do was to obtain assurances, whilst at the same time

granting recognition unconditionally. We have had repeated assurances on all the points mentioned by Mr. Attlee from General Franco over a period of years, but there was one over which we were particularly concerned. We thought it necessary to ask him to repeat his assurances on reprisals. It

would not have been reasonable to ask General Franco beforehand to include men who had been guilty of horrible crimes, but the British Government did urge upon him that there should he no general reprisals—no reprisals for what could he described as strictly political offences. It has received these assurances. Answer To Inquiries. “I will read the answer to our inquiries. It is dated February 22: ‘Nationalist Spain has won the war, and it is therefore incumbent on the vanquished to surrender unconditionally. The patriotism, chivalry, and generosity of Senor Cordello (?) of which he has given so many examples in the liberated regions, likewise the spirit of equity and justice which has inspired the national Government, constitutes a firm guarantee for all Spaniards who are not criminals. The courts of justice, applying the established laws and procedures promulgated before July 16, 1936, are restricted to bringing to judgment within the framework of those laws authors of crime. Spain is not disposed to accept any foreign intervention which may impugn her dignity or infringe her sovereignty.’ ” The Premier mentioning that 19 other Governments had already recognised General Franco’s Government, and that the great sister democracy ot France took exactly the same view and was acting exactly in the same way as the British Government. Recognition was really an act of recognising reality, and what was wanted now was a cessation of hostilities. "Anything the British Government can do to help bring about an armistice in which some discussions can take place between the representatives of the two sides we will gladly do,” said Mr. Chamberlain. “I trust that before many days have passed we shall hear that such an armtistice has been agreed to. Once the fighting has. come to an end we hope a Spain may unite to repair the destruction which has taken . place and to heal the wounds that have been inflicted, and that together they will build up a prosperous and happy country ivhich will be worthy of their own glorious past.” Moving the Labour censure motion, Mr. Attlee denied that there was no effective Government left in republi-

can Spain, and asked why the overrunning of Catalonia by General Franco's forces imposed the necessity for recognition any more than previ-

ous military successes. The main reason against recognition, he argued, remained—namely, that the success of General Franco's armies was due to foreign intervention.

Maritime Losses. Mr. Attlee considered, moreover, that recognition should only have been given on conditions which included a satisfactory settlement of the claims of the British Government in respect to the 24 British vessels which had been damaged, and the 45 officers and men of the British merchant navy who had been killed. The Leader of the Opposition Liberal Party,.3!r Archibald Sinclair, said that he declined to be convinced that the Government’s hopes that it would succeed by relieving General Franco’s dependence on Germany and Italy in influencing his policy would be fulfilled.

For the Liberals he refused in advance credits to bolster up the new Spanish Government. eGneral Franco, he thought, would remain faithful to his own anti-democratic principles and friends. Tension in the Mediterranean was greater to-day than when Mr. Chamberlain took over the personal direction of foreign affairs. The Government had weakened democracies in Europe and betrayed them one after

another and its epitaph might be, “We have eaten dirt in vain.”

The debate is proceeding. Mr. Attlee’s motion of censure on the recognition of General Franco was defeated by 344 votes to 137.

BRITISH AMBASSADORSHIP ACCEPTED

BURGOS, Feb. 28. General Franco has accepted Sir Robert Hodgson as the first British Charge d'Affaires.

AUSTRALIAN RECOGNITION

Received March 1, 5.5 p.m. SYDNEY, March 1. The Federal Prime Minister, Mr. J. A. Lyons, announced that the Commonwealth Government had decided to grant de jure recognition to General Franco’s Government. Mr. Lyons said the Government had made its decision in consequence of advice that the Republican Government had become dispersed after the fal lof Catalonia and could no longer be regarded as representative of the people of Spain.