Page
THE CHINA MAIL, FEBRUARY 1, 1939.
BITTER ATTLEE ATTACK ON SPANISH POLICY "Growing Feeling Of Disgust" In Britain.
British Protests
Treated With Contempt
London, To-day..
The Labour Opposition leader, Mr. C. R. Attlee, ini- tiated the discussion on Spain in the House of Commons yesterday.
Mr. Attlee stated that when the Prime Minister spoke of Mussolini's desire for peace, the people of this country were more impressed by the fact that Mussolini had been intervening for the last two and a half years in the Spanish civil war.
Mr. Attlee was of opinion that the Prime Minister would find that there was a growing feeling of disgust in this country at the attitude taken by the British Government throughout the whole of this struggle.
UNITED AIR TO BOYCOTT JAPAN
Washington, January 19. American airplanes will longer be sold to Japan.
no
This fact became evident to-day when the United Aircraft · Cor- poration, only firm to have re- fused compliance with State Secretary Cordell Hull's recom- mendations in this respect, stated that it too will stop shipments to Japan.
Mr. Brown, Director of the Corporation, communicated as- surances to this effect to Mr. Hull this afternoon. The State Secret- ary expressed "satisfaction" over the firm's decision.—Havas.
man preparing to throw Europe
into another crisis.
There were many passages in the speech which indicated the necessity of peace for Germany as
well as other countries.
shall.want
to see con-
said: "I welcome the passages in Herr Hitler's speech regarding his desire for mutual confidence and co-operation between our two peo- ples, and I should like to take this opportunity to repeat that these sentiments are fully shared by the British Government and by the people of this country. No negotia- tions are at present contemplated with the German Government but the British Government has been glad to observe the discussions on various industrial matters that have recently taken place between re- presentatives of industry in both countries."
Referring to the suggestion made by the Opposition leader that Franco's victory might be a strate- gic threat to Britain, Mr. Cham- berlain twitted Mr. Attlee for dis- believing the assurances given by Mussolini and Hitler.
-
the Prime Minister declared that
WORST POSSIBLE VIEW Accusing the Opposition of tak- ing the worst possible view of the motives and intentions of the lead- of ers of totalitarian states and Confidence in Europe was not frightening themselves by feeding easily or quickly established.
their imaginations on improbable He added that all attempts to the Prime Minister said he was
Mr. Chamberlain concluded: hypotheses, as well as exaggerating minimise the contributions Italy satisfied that the British policy of was making to the offensive in non-intervention had been right all "Before we enter on a fipal settle- the deficiencies in British strength, Catalonia were absurd in view of along, and it was certainly not the ment we
crete evidence and willingness to the. Government's rearmament the declarations made in Italy moment to change it.
if not for dis- efforts were now beginning to re- itself.
Intervention on the side of the enter an alliance Spanish Government would have armament then for a limitation of sult in enormous and ever
rapidly increasing additions to to take place on a very consider-armaments. able scale if it was to alter the "When that time.
the armed strength of Britain. comes, if we
Chamberlain state of affairs in Spain.
In conclusion, Mr. can find a spirit corresponding to said that while he believed, there our own elsewhere, I know that were no questions between nations, "I do not consider that the this country will make its con- however serious, which could The action of the British Gov- situation in Spain is at this mo-tribution to general appeasement." be settled by discussion he must ernment throughout the whole ment a menace to the peace of Reuter.
add the qualification that it was no Spanish question, with the solitary Europe, but most emphatically I
use to embark on discussions for exception of the Nyon Agreement, consider that if we had abandon-
More than half the detachments in the advance on Barcelona were Italian, and the fall of Barcelona was hailed as a great Italian vic- tory.
to aggression.
STRICT IMPARTIALITY
-
EXAGGERATED FEARS
IGNOMINIOUS ROLE Mr. Attlee argued that
more
not
those
the
had been a definite encouragement ed the policy of non-intervention British Wireless says that the settlement of differences, satisfac- on any considerable scale took House of Commons was crowded on tion of aspirations and removal of atmosphere PITIFUL PROCESSION place on behalf of the Spanish its reassembly after Christmas in grievances unless the
Government, that would be aanticipation of the foreign affairs was favourable and unless The Prime Minister, in reply,
debate which was opened by the who undertook them were convinced said that no one could read of the menace to peace...
Opposition leader immediately after that those who sit round the table "pitiful procession of wounded "Any such intervention must questions. The public and private wanted a peaceful settlement and men, old men, women and children, lead to extension of the conflict in galleries were full and there was had no sinister ideas at the back some of them mutilated, struggling Europe, which is against the policy a large attendance of the Diploma- of their minds. up the great mountains dividing which has been and will be follow-tic Corps. France and Spain in conditions of ed by the British Government. bitter hardship, without feeling "British policy is one of strict] Mr. Chamberlain said that the what a terrible thing war was even impartiality. The reason we re-British Government had seen with Spanish Government had been fight- the battle of Démocracy the reing fused belligerent rights to General the greatest satisfaction Franco was that this was not a rent Franco-German declaration, against the forces of aggression, civil war merely but that the mat- and now the exaggerated fears and pictured the British Govern- ment! 38 having played the ter was complicated by the inter-and prophecies published in sections vention of foreign powers on one of the press in advance of Hitler's ignominious role of holding the side or the other."
speech had been belied in the event, hands of the Government of Spain behind herback and preventing OPPOSITION DISTRUST
NO NEW CRISIS.
f her defending herself. Referring to the Opposition dis-
Regarding the speech Mr. Cham- But he claimed there was grow- trust of Mussolini's and Hitler's berlain said: "It was a long speeching appreciation in all parties of words, Mr. Chamberlain said:
It touched a great many topics and the dangerous repercussions on the "Surely the worst way to ensure covered a wide field. I do not pre strategic security of Britain which that a man who has given his tend. I have had the time to examine must follow prolonged intervention
in its secondary effect.
"How much more terrible it would be if the area of conflict should be extended.”
The British Government were do- ing what it could to help and would continue to do so. They had paid £20,000 to the international com- mission for assistance of child re- fugees in Spain, and had put further £20,000 at the disposal of
the commission.
a
When the need arose he had no doubt, they would be ready to do
more..
After referring to the efforts to
recalled
"I am
word will keep it is to tell him with care every phrase in it but by the totalitarian states in the that you don't believe him and I can say this. I very definitely affairs of the Peninsula: will base your actions on the got the impression that it was not BARCELONA, THANKS
Referring to the Rome visit, he assumption that he is not going to the speech of a man who was pre said it had caccomplished nothing arrange a safety zone for Spanish keep his word.
paring to throw Europe, into anaave to reveal what the Opposition had never:doubted the existence refugees, Mr. Chamberlain
quite certain that Mr. other crisis. that the Government had already Attles is mistaken. Only the other
"We all have our domestic pro-among the Italian people themselves addressed an appeal to General day in Rome we received again bleme, our economic or financial of a desire for peace and friendly Franco to exercise all possible fresh repeated assurances from problems or unemployment in
relations with other nations. Mussolini and Count Ciano (the country and other problems in humanity in the circumstances Italian Foreign Minister) that other countries. None of us could prevailing in Catalonia.
Before the fall of Barcelona many after the war is over.
Italy has nothing to ask of Spain be unsympathetic to the idea that IDZUMO IN SOUTH people had expected its fall to be "The policy of appeasement is should devote themselves for a time the statesmen of various countries followed by a terrible massacre, steadily succeeding The Romeo improvement of the conditions yet nothing of the kind hade hap-visit has not weakened our rela- of their own people." pened, and members of the Oppositions with France." tion might have given thanks for
.
PREMIER SATISFIED- Turning to the general question
of British policy as regards Spain,
יז."!
one
Hofhow, To-day.
The Japanese flagship, Idzumo is reported to be anchored off Pakhoi. HITLER SPEECH
7 MUTUAL CONFIDENCE
Eighteen other Japanese war- Referring to Hitler's Reichstag This reference to Hitler's speech ships are off the Kwangtung coast speech Mr. Chamberlain said he had been preceded by another in west of Pakhoi, while six are off very definitely got the impression an answer which the Premier gave Ngalyun, south Hainan, Central that it was not the speech of a at question time and in which haNews,
"