1938-12-08 — Page 7

Return Of

Of Colonies Not Issue Of Practical

Practical Politics Important Declaration By Malcolm MacDonald

Not Discussing Matter, Nor Considering It

London, To-day.

lonies, protectorates and mandated territories could be considered which did not take into. full account the interests and wishes of the inhabi- tants."

Mr. Noel-Baker's motion was defeated by 253 votes to 127, and the Conservative amendment talked out.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

was

Mr. Macdonald, referring to the question of equal economic oppor- is

An important statement on colonies was made by

the Dominions and Colonial Secretary, Mr.tunity, pointed out that there Malcolm Macdonald, in the House of Commons yesterday.

LIVELY U.S.

INTEREST IN

MACDONALD STATEMENT

practically no restriction on access

Washington, To-day. Lively interest has been aroused for anybody to our raw materials, here by Mr. Malcolm MacDonald's to consider any proposals for more reference in the House of Com- equal distribution of raw materials. mons to colonies.

but the Government was still ready

The "Washington Star" points

the West Coast of Africa would ing distance of South America. place the Reich within easy strik-

The same observation has been

Mr. Macdonald was replying to the debate on the Labour Opposition motion moved by Mr. Philip Noel-Baker, which says that no redistribution

The ideal of equal economic op- portunity had been almost complete- of colonial or mandated territory shall be made ly attained in practice in the Bri-out that return of the colonies on without the consent of the inhabitants, and as tish Colonial Empire. part of a general peace settlement, interna- Trade Treaty contained reductions The fact that the Anglo-American tional agreements should be drawn up extend-in the preferences on about 200 Co ing application of mandates to all colonies lonial empire items, indicated made by many other newspapers which do not receive self-government, provid-as they could without prejudicing ing equal economic opportunity for the na- the colonies interests towards giv- the "New York Times," the alleged tionals of all signatory powers and establish-ferent countries and different na- ing economic opportunities to dif- ing as the primary purpose of colonial policy tionals inside the Colonial Empire. the welfare and progress of the native inhabit- ants.

Mr. Macdonald, in his reply, pean settlers who had put their emphasised the uncertainty creat wealth therein and had played a ed in the colonies and mandated great part in development or the territories by the demands now | territories. being made in regard to them.

He said that the uncertainty must be removed.

the

Government's readiness to go as far

recently.

SABOTAGE! The "Star" condemns,

8.8 does

attempts by Nazi agents to sabo- tage the Pan-American Conference which opens

at Lima, Peru, to- WELFARE OF ALL

morrow (Friday). Alluding to Mr. Noel-Baker's re-

For the second day in succession solution referring to the welfare of President Roosevelt yesterday dis- the native inhabitants, Mr. Mac-cussed European problems with donald asked why the natives ex- Mr. Summer Welles, Assistant clusively.

Secretary of State, and the United States Ambassadors to Germany,

He pointed out that there were

GERMAN EMBASSY DINNER

In some places there were im- other inhabitants, European, In- France and Italy. Reuter. portant Indian communities.

dians, Arabs and others, and said "We must recognise the right of that a "For that purpose I have only these peoples to express

more accurate statement their would be that the primary purpose to state a simple fact. I don't opinions of a question all important of colonial policy was the welfare believe that there is to-day any to them, and we must attach full of all inhabitants in colonial terri- section in this country which is weight and force to these opinions. tories. disposed to hand over to any "It would be impossible to even Our first duty was to mative peo other country the care of any consider any alteration in territories or peoples for whose status of any of those territories government we are responsible, without giving full regard to the "We must foster their material either as a colonial or mandatory spontaneous views of the inhabit-wellbeing and see they get fair play economically. We must bring them "Moreover, these people have the benefits of modern certain treaty rights. They have science so that they will enjoy al-bassy.

power. (Cheers). "That view has been expressed by every part of the House and is

shared by the Government.

NOT AN ISSUE

"We are not discussing this mat- ter. We are not considering it. It is not now an issue in practical politics.

"If we were ever to come to dis-

ants.

the ples.

certain material interests in the territories. Those rights and in- terests must be fully safeguarded and secured."

EMPIRE, FREEDOM

medical

ways more abundant health.”

Education of natives was of growing concern to British administrations and voluntary organisations' in the Colonial Empire.

BRITISH UNANIMITY

The great purpose of the British Empire was the gradual spread of Mr. Macdonald also emphasised freedom amongst all His Majesty's cussion of this question, certain it would be impossible for a gov-subjects all over the world. things would have to be borne. inernment to do anything in regard The evolutionary process of

to this matter without the House spread of freedom was proceeding Commons having the fullest all the time inside the Colonial Em- possible opportunity of discussion. pire.

mind.

"Firstly, Britain is not the only country concerned. She is not the only country which assumed addi- tional territorial responsibilities after the War, and other. countries would also be involved and the question would have to be examin- ed by all countries together,"

of

BEST ASSURANCE

the

Paris, To-day. The official programme in connec- tion with the visit to Paris of Herr von Ribbentrop, was concluded yes- terday, when Count Welczeck, the German Ambassador, gave a dinner in his honour at the German Em-

M.

Among those present were Daladier and five members of his Cabinet, Chautemps, Bonnet, Sar- raut, Reynand, de Monzie and Po- maret. Also present was M. Herriot, President of the Chamber, M. Mis- tler, Chairman of the Comite France Allemagne, the invalid war veteran, M. Scapini, and the French Am- bassador to Germany, M. Soulondre. ed the big reception in the rooms Fourteen hundred persons attend-

of the Embassy Building-Trans- Ocean.

In some countries, like Ceylon, GRAND MUFTI

DECISIONS.

Jerusalem; To-day,

Indeed, nothing effective could be done without the positive ap- proval of Parliament, and as far as the House was concerned, an the gaining of freedom had already unanimous expression-of view gone very far. In others it was had been made from every sec- necessarily a much slower process, tion of the House in this debate, and it might take generations, even (Cheers).

centuries, for some peoples in some The "Adifaa," published in Jaffa, He hoped the House was not parts of the Colonial Empire, to claims to be in a position to state going to assent to, any such sweep-reach complete self-government, but that Dr. Tanneus, London repre- We could not regard them as ing proposition as Mr. Noel Baker's it was a major part of our policy, sentative of the Palestine Arabs mere goods and chattels, to be dis-motion. posed of to others. We must pay attention to their wishes and to the wishes, of the different sections of the population in those territories.

Mr. Macdonald emphasised that we had responsibilities in regard to peoples living in the mandated territories.

PEOPLE'S RIGHTS

TALKED OUT

even among the most backward peo-had an interview with Mr. Malcolm ples of Africa, to teach and encour-Macdonald, on the question of par- age them always to be able to stand, ticipation in the London conference a little more on their own feet. of the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem Mr. Macdonald urged the House Our love of freedom was not only or one of his représentatives. to reject the motion and to accept for ourselves but others inspired the Dr. Tanneus is said to be on his the amendment of Colonel C. E. policy right through the Colonial way to Beirut to communicate the Ponsonby (Conservative, Seven- Empire, and he believed the best result of this conversation to tho Mr. Macdonald pointed out that as oaks), that the "Primary purpose assurance those people could have Grand Mufti. According to far as the British mandated areas of colonial policy should be the that this spirit would continue to same source, the British were concerned, there is not only welfare and progress of the inhabi- guide their affairs was that they Office is willing to agree to an Arab a large indigeneous native popula- tants of the colonial territories, and should continue their ass.ciation delegation of 20 representatives. tion but in some places also Euro-no change in the status of the co-l with the British Empire-Reuter. Trans-Ocean.

the

Colonial