ELECTION
ON CZECH CRISIS ISSUE
Mr. Chamberlain's Reply To Commons Critics
Reminder Of
What War Would
Mean
LONDON, TO-DAY.
-FIREMEN
VOLUNTEERS
FOR A.R.P.
London, To-day. Thirty thousand auxiliary fire. men are needed to complete Lon don's air raid precautions scheme,
made yesterday.
Four thousand firemen were re-“ cruited during the recent crisis. -Reuter.
PREMIER
TAUNTS LABOUR OPPOSITION
London, To-day.
The Prime Minister, in his re- ply, spoké first of personal issues.
"When a man gets to my age and fills my position, I think he tends to feel that criticism and even abuse matters little to him if his own conscience approves his action..
WINDING UP THE DEBATE ON THE CZECH according to an announcement
CRISIS IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS YESTERDAY, THE PRIME MINISTER QUASHED REPORTS THAT THE GOVERN- MENT WAS GOING TO THE COUNTRY.
ing of thankfulness and relief for Mr. Chamberlain said he had no intention of capi-not want to capitalise on the feel-
talising on the nation's feeling of thankfulness the sake of some temporary party I claim no credit for it, for I think for the sake of some temporary party advan-advantage. tage.
"I have been charged with cowardice, weakness, the declared presumption and stupidity," Prime Minister.
"I have been accused of bringing the country to the edge of war, and have been denied the merit of snatching it back to safety. Those who made the accusation had quickly forgotten the con- ditions of last week.
PREJUDICE
"Looking back on these events, I feel convinced that by my action-
it was only what anyone in my his position would have felt it duty to do I did avert war."
Before turning from the past to Referring to the accusation that
the future, Mr. Chamberlain touch- the Chamberlain-Hitler pact was a pact designed by Hitler to induce ed on rumours current in certain
try. obligations, Mr. Chamberlain said Britain to relinquish her present quarters of an appeal to the coun- that showed how far prejudice could carry a man.
at
It!
to
He said he did not want a General Election now because he had no He declared that the document desire to capitalise for party pur- was not drawn up by Hitler but by poses on the feeling of relief and thankfulness which went beyond himself.
Mr. Chamberlain added: "I do not party limits, and also because they might a time when have to call upon the country for "Nobody who had been through many weeks ago that if her army believe that war is inevitable.
the Czech border, we seems to me that the strongest ar- what I had to go through day crossed
gument against the inevitability of great efforts in the months after day, face to face with the would go to war with her.
differences. We had no
treaty obligations war is to be found in the universal come, he did not want to magnify thought that in the last resort it
E TWO CONDITIONS would be I, and I alone, who had with no legal liabilities to Czecho-aversion of the people and their hatred of the notion of starting to to say that 'Yes' or 'No' which Slovakia.
There was also the matter of the kill one another again. would decide the fate of millions
"What is the alternative to of my
fellow-countrymen and British Empire. Did they always their wives and families, nobody remember that the self-governing bleak and barren policy of the ine-
were effected by the vitability of war?" who had been through that could Dominions
issues of peace or war? readily forget it.
They had the right of consulta- "For that reason I am
which here in a mood to try and see tion before we took steps what I can do in the way of re-might have incalculable consequences
to them. tort."
DIFFERENT WAR
Mr. Chamberlain
not
added that
BRITAIN AND FRANCE Supposing that France was
un-
by
CAUSES OF FRICTION
#
There were only two conditions
mind-one was if some new issue which might lead him to change his arose which he felt required a new mandate from the country, and the other was if he felt he had lost the In his view they should seek by confidence of his supporters.
Neither condition had arisen, and all means in their power to avoid
no reason to suppose that war by trying to remove possible he had causes by discussion in a spirit of either would arise.
There were two views of the fu- collaboration and goodwill.
Referring to the Labour sugges-ture, Mr. Chamberlain thought.
The first premised the impossibil- war to-day was different, not only in degree but in kind, to what it der treaty obligations to Czecho- tion for a world conference, Mr.
Slovakia, and supposing that France Chamberlain said: "Better not to ity of friendly or trustful relations
assistance used to be..
have one at all than one which is a with the totalitarian states, and failure."
involved, he contended, a bélief in When war started to-day, in had gone to her
He did not say that such a con- the inevitability of war. the very first hour, before any virtue of that treaty.
Were we to say that we would
The second was that every effort by professional soldier, sailor or air- man had been touched, it would not go to the assistance of France ference would not have its place in
that there was no use in calling a discussion in a spirit of collabora- strike the workmen, clerk, the if, in consequence, she became in due course, but what he did say was should be made to avoid war man in the street or bus, his wife volved with Germany?
We should have been false to our world conference until he was sure tion and goodwill by analysing the and children, and their homes.
with the intention of adding a po- to remove them. When one thought of things of obligations. Therefore it would not that the States were going to attend possible causes of war and trying
to have told
licy to which he had set his heart. that kind, one could not ask people have been enough
no- Aa Mr. Chamberlain rose to leave to accept a prospect of that kind. Czecho-Slovakia that we have
would
the House, Ministerialists jumped One could not force them into a thing to do with her. It position where they would have to have been necessary for France also to their feet and cheered and way- accept, unless one felt, and could to say that. make them feel, that the cause for which they were going to fight, was a vital cause transcending all
ed.
PREPOSTEROUS
To accuse us of betrayal by the
"COLLECTIVE SECURITY” Examining the first, the Premier mentioned Incidentally that he had drawn up the declaration signed at Munich last Friday by Hitler and STOOD IN SILENCE
himself. The inevitable war, he All strangers in the Public Gal-supposed, would be between the ordinary human values, and a cause advice we gave to Czecho-Slovakia |lery also rose to their feet and stood Democracies and the Dictatorships, that Britain should not only arm to which one could point, if victory was simply preposterous. What we in silence, while Peers in the Peers and the thesis he suggested was was some day won, and say that did was to save her from annihila-Gallery did the same.
tion and to give her a chance of Mr. Chamberlain for a momed herself but make military alliances as many other powers that cause was safe.
a new life as a new state, which stood in his place in front of the with even if it involved loss of territory
Such a policy was now described and fortifications, perhaps would
collective security, and the Prime enable her to enjoy and develop a
Minister taunted the Labour op future national existence in a neu
position with playing with a policy trality and security comparable
which contained all the things they London, To-day. Switzerland.
Commissioner for had formerly denounced, such as Sir Harold Macmichael, alliances and the balance of power, yesterd accompanied remarking that some" opposition lcom aloner Mr. members could be made to walk aasumed into any trap if only it were bait-
Catch ire will visit the
taryjed: with
NO OBLIGATIONS
Mr. Chamberlain stated that since he went to Berchtesgaden, 20,000 letters and telegrams had been de livered at 10, Downing Street.
Therefore Mr. Chamberlain
Governmen
He had only been able to look at a tiny fragment of them, but he thought the had seen enough to know that, the the
duct people who wrote did not feel that they had a case that they were ank- kla ed to
go to war in order that the from Sudetens should not join the Reich.
That was his answến Pa Who Bald we should
patch box, smiling, and then with as possible. final wave of his hand, walker out of the House. Reuter.
The High
| rumour of a Gen-¡ of State for the Colonies, Mr. Mal- those eral Election, Mr. Chamberlain said colm Macdonald to-day.
Ger-lhe did not want one now. He did Ocean.
for joint
This mi
as certainly not Continued on Page 9)