1939-02-24 — Page 7

THE CHINA MAIL, FEBRUARY 24, 1989.

No

Reservations

Paga

Attached

To Anglo-French Alliance

ZORD HALIFAX

WARNS AGAINST

MISCONCEPTION

London, To-day.

The Foreign Secretary, Lord Halifax, replying to a question in the House of Lords yesterday on Anglo-French relations, said it would be a pro- found error to suppose that any mental reser- vations of any kind accompanied Mr. Cham- berlain's words of solidarity with France. The declaration, Lord Halifax added, was clear and

unmistakeable.

"If I may translate it into terms of a homely par- able, it was in the nature of one of those signs we now see in many places in the country at danger points-halt-major road ahead."

Lord Halifax said that was

REDUCED TAXATION IN AMERICA?

Washington, To-day. Business interests in the United States have no need to worry about new taxes, and may hope for an improvement in the pre sent taxes to help business, de- clared the Secretary of Treasury, Mr. Henry Morgenthau, address- ing a press conference yesterday.

Reuter.

full and frank discussion, and

BRITAIN READY TO GRANT CHINA NEW CREDITS

London, To-day.

It is gathered from a state- ment made by Mr. R. A. Butler, in the House of Commons, that the British Government is con- templating the grant, in the near future, of another considerable the loan to China.

Government would ask for nothing better than that circumstances Britain, it is said, is prepared to should so shape themselves as to lend China a further three million The loan will be linked

make that treatment of the many pounds. questions with which we are con- with a new export credit scheme cerned, I possible.

܀ ܂

now about to receive Parliamentary "On the other hand, none who sanction. knows the British mind will doubt that should the necessity ever be

This scheme will enable the Bank its Governments had shown they were forced upon us, our people would of England to grant export credits total of purpose. There was no difference anxious for third party mediation, be found to-day not less tenacious to British in views on any subject between and of course nothing of that sort of their liberty than they have £75 millims to the

both parties desired it.

ourselves and France. According- could be expected unless and until ly, neither in France nor this coun- try was any verbal re-assertation of our solidarity required.

"Before long we shall have an opportunity of emphasising that welcome the solidarity when we head of the French Republic." (Cheers).

ever been." (Cheers).

LORD ADDISON'S WELCOME

which

pounds

pounds credit would be placed the disposal of firms engaged in "pioneer under- | taking."

tional ten millionile an addi-

+

ITALY HOLDING BACK At the present time the Italian

British Wireless adds that the de- Government had not formally in-

It is believed that the new China dicated what they think of the pre- bate was raised by Lord Addison, cise points of difference between who welcomed the Prime Minister's loan would fall under this latter statement on February 6 that "the head especially as it is expressly themselves and France.

Referring to the fact that this solidarity of interest by

stated that these ten million pounds country was not infrequently mis-France and this country are united represented abroad, Lord Halifax is such that any threat to the vital are to be used for financing initia

tive in those places where political It had been the case that misre-sald: "Everyone must realise by interests of France from whatever presentations in certain quarters now that there is no war party in quarter it came must evoke the im- considerations outweigh those of purely business or financial charac- this country.

mediate co-operation of this coun had forced this country to state in

TWO ERRORS

try." progressively more emphatic and

"There is no party and no states-

Lord unambiguous terms what had been

one moment statem men who would for

IDENTITY OF INTEREST

long accepted as true by the peoples contemplate an aggressive

of both our countries.

It was not only our geographical situation that threw us closer to France but also identity of interests. and completeness of understanding

NO MENACE

These factors therefore were the best guarantee against the danger in some minds that there might be a certain risk in certain circum- stances that one country might be tempted to subordinate its policy to that of the other.

"That danger does not exist," Lord Halifax declared.......

Continuing, the Foreign Secre- tary emphasised that Anglo-French solidarity did not mean and had never been intended to constitute, any menace of any sort to any third party.

The record of both Governments and the efforts both Governments had made to maintain peace was, he hoped, sufficient evidence of the truth of that statement.

ITALO-FRENCH RELATIONS Dealing with Italo-French differ- ences Lord Halifax said: "In one sedse it is the case that whatever might be Italo-French differences they do not primarily, and I em- phasise the word primarily, con- cern this country.

war,.

Halifax said that the

ter.

of course represented the It is expected that the export view of the govern- credits bill will begun its third read- nor could they get any support ment, and public response to it ing by the end of March at latest, from our people for such a policy. constituted, he thought, impressive when the Government would be in "On the other hand, there are testimony of the substantial unan- a position to give this supplemen- some people in other countries who imity of the whole country on that tary financial assistance to China. fall into the opposite error. Such question. people attempt to interpret our will === for peace as proof of our weak- ness, cowardice or lack of resolu- tion.

“I should like to make it quite clear that one is as unfounded and as completely mistaken as the other."

WAR'S REWARD NIL

The responsible heads of govern- | ments in Europe had at various times

proclaimed that war brought no advantage to the victors.

That was a statement the truth of which had been brought home. to the peoples of Britain and France within the lifetime of the present generation, and it was not therefore surprising, that they should stand in the van to condemn war as an instrument of national policy.

That was not to say that the peo ple of this country or France would refrain from resisting by force any threat to their lives or independence, or what they believed to be their. vital interests.

MEIN KAMPF Quoting Hitler in "Mein Kampf". on the subject of German pro-War miscalculations of the Englishman But in another sense they con- corn 15. inmediately and closely be and his Empire, Lord Halifax said chuse we have relations of which "Our resources remain enormous I have been speaking with France, and the spirit of our people has not and we are also glad to have re-altered. We do not desire a test of paired our relations with Italy and strength becausowo believe that wars are apt to un- are anxious to maintain them on a while.

they ever basis of as complete cordiality as settle more

settled we can,”

no......... ques-

Lord Halifax pointed out that tione tut, given goodwill, can- nefthor the French nor Italian | not brought to a solution through

In the

-Trans-Ocean.

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