Sir Austen Chamberlain, former Foreign Secretary, said that the idea {that Britain could play a part in the League, or give reality to the League she did not recognize that her con tributions had to be on the scale of a great Power, was to live in a fool's paradise.
Te his opinion, It was plain that the threat of economic. sanctions would not deter a great Power which had deliberately decided upon an act Jof aggression. For that reason, in the early days of the Italy-Ethiopia dispute he had counted the cost and was prepared to go to all lengths with others—even to the use of mill-
{ary force.
But now the circumstances were wholly and profoundly changed. To lask, at this moment, for a continu ance of sanctions was a policy of fequa! danger and futility.
'Concerning the future, Sir Austen said the enforcement of the rule of flaw, which they hoped to secure by faction of the League, had failed this time, but it was out of failure that Jmen' reaped success. A. real effort Jshould be mare to get Germany and Jother countries back into the League.
Consideration, he added, should be given to the question whether th League Covenant did not need amending in order to enable the Council or Assembly to act earlier in a dispute. afd to. take decisions before a catastrophe occurred.
Tribute -to Indian Troops He thought the Government was right in trying to underpin the League by a series of regional pacts and The Opposition's motion was talked out by Mr, William Gallagher (West Fife), the only Communist member of the House, ministerial benches.
There was, guarantees. At the outset of his reply, Mr, Eden expressed the regret of all at the death of Dr. Andre John Melly, head of the British ambulance unit in Ethiopia, who succumbed 10 a wound inflicted by a rioter In the streets of Addis Ababa while he was out tending the wounded, The House, the Foreign Secretary proceeded. would share the great Satisfaction of the Government with the splendid work performed during the grave emergency by the British Legation guard of Indian infantry, These troops had saved a large number of foreign lives. In no single ease was an appeal addressed to them in vain. Not only did they protect some 2000 refugees of 23 nationalities In the Legation compound itself and repel at least one attack by rioting tribesmen, but they were abe to send detachments to foreign missions to help individuals threatened by the mob.
"The Belgian Government, whose Legation was assisted by a Silth detachment, tad conveyed its thanks to H. M, Government.
"Lam confident" Mr, Eden declared, "when the full story Is known, Major Charter and the officers and men under him will be found worthily to have upheld the highest traditions of the Indian Army.
Government Polley Upheld Turning to the criticisms of the Government's policy, the Foreign Secretary said the situation which British and. other League countries faced was dificult and disappointing. Throughout the dispute, Britain had taken the lead, British sale of all, he Aropped. from 13. percent Per cent, in 1035. stopped, what difference would have made to the course of the di pute?
Britain was the only Government in Geneva which had publicly urged of sanctions. She always knew that the weakness of sanctions was that they could not be made immediately effective, The only immediately effective sanction was to deny Italy the the Suez Canal. That must ably have entailed military action, which must inevitably have Ted to war, While the opposition, he proceeded. professed support of the League with horse, foot and aritilery, they only meant support with threats, insults and perorations.
Mr. Eden warned them that they could not close the Canal with paper boats, "It Britain had not pressed for military sanctions. it was because of their horror for war and not fear of the ultimate outeoms League Must Go On Legally, the Canal could not be closed without League action. view of the attitude of many governments towards sanctions, he asked, did the Opposition really believe that the League would have passed resolution closing the Canal? There was never the slightest hope for that, Turning to the future, the Foreign Secretary said it was clear that the League must go on. In a modern world, the League was an indispensable piece of international organiza tion. "That was clear, but it was also clear that each government and each member of the League—for they all had responsibilities—must carefully consider the conclusions to be drawn from the experience of the last seven months, and the League, as a whole, must decide on iis future course of H, M. Government. he said, proposed to engage at once on a consideration of the problems involved. For that purpose, it would enter into consultation with' the Dominions Governments. They had to admit that League action had neither prevented the outbreak of war nor arrested it once it had begun, At the most, it hag made the prosecution of war more dificult and
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.