Mr. G. E. Mitchell (B.
S.) Address China Committee of Members of Parliament By O. M. Grex (Editor, "North-China Daily News" 1911-1930)
London, Dec. 22.
Nobody really wanted the debate jon foreign affairs yesterday; it is doubtful whether even the Labour Party who demanded it were not acting more through duty than desire.
Here is the point. If the attitude of Great Britain and specially of America is growing stiffer towards Japan, as indeed is the general impression, then the less said in public debate the better. So the Prime bred a wide popular taste for Chinese art, which is essentially a taste which grows with. eating. Since I came Home I have learnt far more about Chinese art than ever I did in China, and the more you see of it the more you want to see. It was made clear, too, at the Chinese Ladies' bazaar that the old cunning has not departed. There were pieces of modern porcelain for sale which, in the opinion of experts, will be as valuable as the old in days to come.
Minister and Mr. Eden took up a great deal of time saying nothing, and as the debate had to be cut to about five hours, and other front-benchers wanted to spend time in saying nothing, there was no time for the Lack-benchers, some of whom could have made useful contributions, to say anything. Also the five hours had to include not only China. but #iItalian anti-British propaganda, the League, Spain, the Halifax-Hitler conversations and anything else that came into the minds of honourable members.
One brilliant speech was that of bir Archibald Sinclair, the Gradsonian Liberal leader, He scored neatly off Mr. Duff-Cooper. First Lord of the Admiralty, who speaking recently in Pimlico, had declared that "any country which underrates the strength of the British Navy will be making a mistake which may prove fatal to their happiness." This reminded Sir Archibald of King Lear:
I will do such things.—What they are, yet I know not—but they shall be The terrors of the earth At which the House roared, Nobody minds seeing Mr. Duff-Cooper scored off. Unfortunately it was the strength or weakness of the British Navy (and Army and Air Force) perpetually reduced by "gestures" in defiance of facts, which tied our hands and effectually answered Sir Archibald Sinclair's attacks on our loisser faire policy.
But in this respect there is a turn for the better since we began to build up our defences again.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.