London, Feb. 7.
Answering several questions in the House of Commons to-day touching on the air-bombing of civilian populations in Spain and China, Mr. Anthony Eden, the Foreign Secretary, referring in particular to Spain, reiterated the Government's strong view in regard to the cruel sufferings thus inflicted.
He expected to know in the two days the result of the initiative taken by ihe Government on February 2 in having competent departments carry out exhaustive inquiry on the subject.
Mr, Eden assured the House that the Government regarded the question as an urgent one.
Regarding China, he said that the British representative at the last session of the League of Nations had taken the initiative in urging the Advisory Committee to express its view regarding air-bombing, and had voted for a resolution adopted by the Assembly.
The British Government had approached the combatants repeatedly, Mr. Eden declared.
He expressed his readiness to consider the suggestion made by Col. Josiah Clement, Labour member for Newcastle-under-Lyme, that the Vatican be approached for its condemnation of this kind of air attack.
The Foreign Secretary said in conclusion that the Government's sole desire was to put a stop to what regarded as a wholly illegitimate practice of warfare—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.