Mr. Anthony Eden has made a preliminary statement of the Government's policy regarding European affairs. "It does not deal with' the 'Abyssinian issue on which presumably the Foreign Secretary considers he is bound to give the House of 'Commons the frst opportunity of Knowing the Cabinet's attitude. By implication, however, "Mr. Eden's afirmation' of British support of the League and determination to make it effective by modification of the Covenant where necessary, may be taken. to. rebut that defeatist. view on which certain critics have been dilating. Great Britain's readiness to enter into an agreement for safeguarding the peace of Western Europe will be. noted in France with satisfaction and it should encourage Herr Hiller in _giving favourable attention to the memorandum which has been submitted to him by the British Ambassador. Mr. Eden recognizes the apparent lncongruily of proposals for rearmament End strengthening defences with the general alm of armament limitation but he makes the valid point that in zo other way can practical consiéerations receive their proper weight. In that effort the Government is bound to appeal for genera! support of the Territorial Army. It is to be hoped that the public bodies which are now inclined to toy with the idea of refusing facilities for defence measures in the belief that they are thereby vindicating the peaceful aspirations of the nation will realize the inconsistency of their attitude.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.