The reason why the Soviets did not participate in the recent negotiation, was explained by Lord Halifax, eign Secretary, in the House of Lords yesterday.
He repeated what he had told Ivan Maisky, the Soviet Ambasiador London, a day or two ago, namely that If war was avoided it would be necessary (0 act quickly, and that the Government would be compelled 10 recognize that Herr Hitler and Signor Mussolini would almost. certainly Gecline to discuss negotiations at a conference where the Soviet were represented.
He said that the fact that it was impossible 10, include the Soviet Government directly in the Munich conversations in no wise signified "any weakening of the British Govern: Jment's desire, any more, doubtlessly. than that of France, to preserve thei, understanding and relations with the The cause of the aggression against Czechoslovakia was not. the intoler-Mr. Duff Cooper's Stand able position of the Sudeten Germans, Prior to the Prime Minister's but that Herr Hitler decided that th speech, Mr. Alfred Duff. Cooper, time was ripe for another step for former First Lord of the Admiralty, ward in his designs for the domination explaining his resignation from, of Europe. post, declared:—'No state on the Continent of Europe "The German Government, having treated its minorities. better than' got their man down, were not to Cuechoslovakia did, The comparison deprived of the pleasure of kicking fof those minorities with the treatment. him, and the German Army was not Jof the Jews, Cath to be deprived of its Joot." in Germany was as Referring to" the " Anglo-German "Herr Hitler," Mr. Attlee declared, Declaration, Mr. Duff' Cooper said successfully asserts the law of the that, for Mr. Chamberlain to sigh this jungle, andthe whole of Europe without consultation with his Cabinet under the constant menace of colleagues, with his Allies, or with armed force. the Dominions, or with the' assistance Mr. Attlee said that he was nol lof expert and diplomatic advisers, putting all the blame on the British not the way in which the foreign Government, because there had been affairs of the British Empire should vacillations by the French Govern-bbe conducted, ment. If Czechoslovakia was not to For the first time, they were com: bbe supported, she should have been mitted to defend a frontier in Central Burope. If that was s0, they should quicken the re-armament scheme broader basis, Mr. Duff-Copper concluded:—~"Mr. Chamberlain believes that he can rely supposing Jon the ood faith of Herr Hitler, who, that Herr Hitler only asked for the Belgian Congo or for Dutch Sumatra, germans, thinks, 4s" any interested inthe the Four Power Pact would be dan-"Mr. Chamberlain believes that he gerous, because Great Britain would can come to a reasonable settlement a junior partner in the Pact of all outstanding questions with Here against liberty, and the "British Hier, "He may be right, T hope and people would not have it." pray he is but as I cannot believe "Sooner of later." Mr. Attlee cor hat, itis better that £ should go."
we shall be over the abyss inia which we have been looking War Not Inevitable during the past days. nding up the first day's debate, "This is not the time for Four: [Sir Samuel Hoare, the Home Secre-Power Pacts, but for a new tary, disputed the contention that, at Peace Conference. Let us call in the long' as dictatorship exist, war was {0d offices of the United States, and inevitable, and that it might.be better for exclude the Soviets to have war now, when they had a Following Mr. Alliee's speech, issue which might be" supposed 10 sir Archibsld Sinclair, Leader of the appeal.to the whole world, rather [Liberal Opposition, expressed his po than {0 postpone it until their position sonal respect for the "courageous way might be more dimeutt, which the Prime Minister carried With the Prime Minister, he be-out" his. recent responsibilities ite Heved that a catastrophe could be Sald,"howevery that he thought. they avoided, Would rue the day when the British In the event of war, regardless wit) Government sold the pant of freedom won, Czechostovakia' would ul "Central. Europes and Ta inevitably be destroyed [Germany's march to Eastern month oF two, and the negotiators of Mr. Kien Gives Warning the Peace Treuly were unlikely to have recreated the present Mr. Anthony Eden, the former For-Sir Samuel declares that when ie eign Secretary, who wax. received was Foreign Secretary, he made re-with many ministerial and' opposition presentations to Cuechoslovakia cheers, said' that everyone. owed. to settle the Sudeten question, Me.""Ghambectain "an immeasurable Eden, he said, pressed them ever dobe of gratitude for his sincerity and more' strongly, Bertinaeity, in averting the supreme He believed that if the President fslamity 0¢ war had acted more quickly, events mizht He' also paid tribute to the efforts have taken a different course. lof President Roosevelt, and the alm dignity. and. steadfast courage of Dr Czech Repubite Satvaged Edouard Benes and the Cuechoslova "the course we have taken," Sit [Samuel went on, "enables. the Cie said he thought that, to. some ezree, tie mobilization of the British hoslovak Republic to survive, Fleet might have been erected aurir "A guarantee, coupled with pacts ut pon-aggression between Great Brita.
some visible action taken which Would have convinced those who were!
France, Russia, Moly "ang. Germaty: more convinced by what. they sw withthe incites question settles than' what they Heard "of the. real fas Switzertana "has been. for" mat? All make the new Republic as saf€ earnestness of the British people"
'The so-called Fourth Czechoslovak Plan' was not wrecked {rom "I claim that, in these elreumstances, but vetoed, from without, We had the right 10 give the advice ne. Anglo-French proposals offered Buve 10 Ceechoslovakie spore than full satisfaction of "the replying to queries about persons
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.