CO129-619-1 Parliamentary delegation to China 1-9-1947 - 23-12-1947 — Page 80

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ANNEX A

SITUATION. IN CHINA

78

Extract from House of Lords Debates, 23rd January,

1947.

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The Lord Chancellor (Viscount Jowitt): My Lords, if I may say so, I think it is a little unfortunate that at the very tail end of a very interesting debate on China we should have had dragged in the question of our foreign policy throughout the world, and, in particular, have reference made to what is described quite inaccurately - as a policy of scuttle. If I were to deal, or attempt to dual, with any such allegation, the noblo Viscount who has just spoken must know quite well that I should have to embark upon a discussion on the various countries to which he reforred - India, Burma, and the Suez Canal. Each ono of them would require treatment for something liko a quarter of an hour or twenty minutos. It is impossible that I should attempt to deal with any of thom.

I may, however, tell the noble Lord this.

Of course, this country is in some difficulties to-day which I am certain will prove to be temporary difficulties. We aro no longer in a position whore we can advance loans to foreign countries. We cannot send coal to those countries that desire it, but as soon as we have placed things right at home, which by hard work and energy we shall do, we shall once more be in a position where we can resume our old attitude with regard to those matters. I pass these

atters by merely to say that I repudiate the suggestions altogether, and I think it is a pity that in this context and at this time they were ever made.

Viscount Cranborne: The noble and learned Viscount, the Lord Chancellor is, of course, perfectly entitled to feel that those matters which I mentioned went a little wide of the subject of to-day's debate, but he is surely not entitled to say that there is no connexion between my remarks and the substance of to-day's debate. I feel strongly that our relations with foreign countries are being badevilled by the causes which I have described.

The Lord Chancellor: The fact that the reputation of a Government affects its foreign policy overywhere is quite obvious. Nevertheless, as I said before I think it is a pity that these matters were dragged in to what was, thought, otherwise a very interesting speech.

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I entirely agree with what the noble Lord said about the relationship of this country and China. I believe that doop down in his heart overy Englishman has a profound regard for China and the Chinese; a recognition of what we owe to their culture and a sense of humiliation when we consider the age of their culture as compared with ours truly a culture half as old as time. The desire of this country is to see once more a prosperous, happy and unified China. I, too, was impressed as the noble Lord who has just spoken was impressed, with the vast display of erudition which has come from all quarters of the House, but,

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