London, May 2.
AN gamest plea for German ce-operation in the' maintenance of peace and the limitation of armaments, especially in the air, was the keynote of the eagerly-awaited address made by the Prime Minister, Mr. Ramsay MacDonald, in the debate on foreign affairs in the House of Commons to-night. A similar appeal was made by the Foreign Secretary, Sir-John Simon, who implored Germany to show that she was prepared to take her part in the work of peace not merely in words but in deeds, Besides a crowded floor, the diplomatic and public galleries were packed, Interest in the debate had been heightened by an announcement by Mr. Walter Runciman, President of the Board of Trade, that 96 British aeroplane engines had been exported to Germany in 1934.
The main feature of the proceedings, in which Mr. George Lansbury, leader of the Labour Opposition, expressed extreme disappointment that Mr, MacDonald's statement should have dealt rather largely with an increase in armaments as a preliminary to other conditions that might make for peace, was a firm declaration of British policy by the Prime Minister.
That policy, Mr. MacDonald declared, "combines defence and collective security with an international agreement upon armaments and peace. It is not aimed at mi ry alliances, but at the widest possible cooperation."
The Prime Minister said that the "present good understanding between France, Italy and ourselves we value 8 a guarantee of peace, Every other nation will be welcomed in this free companionship.
"The outlook—tI say this with great conviction and considerable intimacy of Knowledge—has chances "of apeasement as well palpable dangers and it is the constant care of Britain to help on the chances that must come from negotiated - agreements without disturbance to the peace of Europe or to. the world,"
Tracing the events since February 8 the Prime Minister recalled the Joint Anglo-French declaration issued on that date, He stated that one of the objects of the negotiations con templated was a freely negotiated armaments pact with Germany and other Powers to take the place of the military clauses of the Treaty of Versailles.
It that could be done successfully, the greater part of the immediate European dangers' would disappear. Clearly, the London declaration dicated' that they were moving away from the Versailles regime and were entering upon a European relationship based upon free negotiations for
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.