"How much more terrible it would be," declared Mr. Chamberlain, "if the area of conflict should be extended."
The British Government had put £20.000 at the disposal of the International Commission for Assistance to Child Refugees in Spain, and had paid a further £20,000 to the Commission. When the need arose, he had no doubt that they would be ready to do more.
The Government had already addressed an appeal to General Franco to exercise all possible humanity in the circumstances prevailing—in Catalonia. Before the fall of Barcelona, many people expected that its fall would be followed by a terrible massacre. Yet nothing of ihe kind had happened, and members of the Opposition might have offered thanks for it.
The British policy in Spain was one of strict impartiality.
"The reason we refused belligerent rights to General Franco" Mr. Chamberlain declared, "was that this is not a civil war merely, but a matter complicated by the intervention of Foreign Powers on one side or another."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.