The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-13

to. and I am sure nothing will, arise between us which good will and honest dealing cannot settle. We must con- slider such problems as reparations and the Ruhr from the point of view of France, of Great Britain, and of Eu. rope, and do everything to find satis- factory agreement. Above all we must remember that time is running very tragic race against us"
 R. McNeill asks: Will the right honorable gentleman explain to the House any particular in which his policy differs from that of his predecessors
 Takes Responsibility
 Macdonald: T think I had better not. What I was saying was not for the purpose of drawing a distinction between the right honorable gentleman and myself, and I am very sorry that he has raised the point that I did. l am responsible for the moment for our policy but I am not going to mix my self up either with my predecessor or with my successor. Neither M. Poin- care nor I have any delusions regarding our task of reconciliation and accom- modation, but if we pursue it in the spirit in which it has been begun, before the year ends, France and Great Britain should be whole-hearted CO., operators with the other nations of Flu rope in establishing the conditions of a European settlement.
 Preparations Bars Settlement
 T can do nothing on the large ques- tions until I get the report of the separations subcommittee sthat are now working hard in Paris and Berlin. Preparations remain the first bar to a general settlement. As soon as the repa- rations commission has pronounced upon these reports, think the time will have come for a complete resurvey of the whole problem, debts and every thing else. The final aim of the foreign secretary must be to come to an agree ment upon armaments.
 T feel sure that if things were prop erly handled, France and the other na- tions of Europe would see that the great security which nation has is not its armaments but the justice of the position it holds in the world. Therefore, am going to use all the money I have got to increase the rep resentative character and authority of the League of Nations. l am hoping that the League of Nations will be used more and more for settling questions that two nations themselves find it im- possible to settle directly. Many oppor- tunities will arise from giving that be- lief of mine opportunity of being tested and I shall take them. Germany must come in. I hope Russia will come in. We ought all to be in. So far as America is concerned it would ill be- come me or this house to give it any advice.
 Confidence In America
 We are working permanently at Flu ropean problems and I feel sure that as soon as America knows that this problem is being attacked from new point of view with idealism which does not mean more expenditure on arma- ments--as soon as America feels that there is something large, something moral, in the spirit in which these problems are being approahced, we will not have to go cap in hand to America and beg her to come in, but that America will be perfectly willing to do it's share in the great work. l wanted to make this as first contri- button to the new political tactics that must be adopted in this house. Coali- tions are detested. They are dishonest, and the result has been confusion. It is far better for the political life of our country that we should express our views as independent political parties, bring them before the House of Com mons and ask the House to take the responsibility of amending, accepting or rejecting them. We are not afraid of what fate we are to meet in the process. If misfortune befell us before the weekend we would have made our mark on the history of these times. The world requires a stimulus in it's hopes, it requires to settle down, to be given courage and confidence so that it may use its latent powers. and above all the common man and the common wom- an be brought into partnership in na- tional prosperity. I appeal to every body at this time when irrational tim. orousness, and sane confidence when pessimism and optimism are striving for the mastery, to. go out with hope