Evening star., 1938-07-03

Hne Which Chdmberldin's policy
settlement has been reached pith
Italy, but it must dUdit the end
OF the Spanish war before go"1
into effect.
81 the Associated Press.
KETTERING, England. July a.
Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain
told $4,000 cheering fellow Conserva-
tives at party rally here today that
I'VE would fight again" if there were
no other way of preserving ''ur
liberties"
He said first, however, that it was
his prime duty to strain every nerve
to avoid repetition of the great war
In Europe" and he tempered his
patriotic remarks about fighting again
with a grim picture of the World War.
Mr.. Chamberlain's description of
the horrors Of war-he reminded his
audience 100000 persons died in
the World War, 3.500,000 Of them
British-accompanied an explanation
of his governments position on the
question Of repeated Spanish insur-
gent bombings of British merchant
ships.
Unsatisfied by Franco.
Mr.. Chamberlain, bitterly attacked
by his opposition and even by some
Conservatives for his stand on this
issue. admitted the explanations Of
Generalissimo Francisco Franco, in
surgent leader, failed to satisfy him.
He reiterated, however, his inten-
ton to keep out of war. He said Gen.
Frances explanation was that his
planes few so high when they dropped
bombs on Spanish government ports
that they could not possibly de-
liberately attack British ships in them.
Il must admit" Mr.. Chamberlain
said that I find 1t little dificult
to reconcile that explanation with
some Of the facts which are known
to us, but perhaps after all Frances
airmen do not always rigidly adhere
to their instructions"
The Prime Minister said he was not
going to take the chance of plunsing
the nation into war because some
British ships took the risk of trading
in Spain to>make huge profits.
Il feel it Is my prime duty" he said,
Ito strain every nerve to avoid repe-
tition of the great war in Europe. and
cannot believe any one who is not
blinded by party prejudice could fail
to agree with me-"
Horrible Barbarities."
He spoke of the horrible barbara
ties inflicted either Willingly or IN
Willingly" in China and Spain and
declared: II wonder whether since the
world began it has ever seen such q
spectacle of human madness and
folly?"
Unless the Spanish war is ended.
Mr.. Chamberlain said, Europe will re-
main on the brink of war He sought
to calm fears of Britain's vulnerability
in case OF another European conflict.
He said Britain's gigantic rearma-
ment was sufficient peace anchor
age for the world, adding: 1T is
quite a mistake to suppose that pub
lie opinion has no effect even in
countries which are governed by die
tators"
Britain is ready to mediate the
Spanish war at the first opportunity
she is given, Mr.. Chamberlain de-
clared
| We have kept other countries out
OF war, and today at long last the
British plan for withdrawal of for
eign volunteers from Spain has been
accepted" he said, "and we are hope.
full it will not now be long before
they leave the country to the Span.
iards"
Cites World War Victory.
Concerning Britain's readiness to
night again, the prime minister said:
During the last 20 years We and
our allies and our associates have
been telling ourselves we won the
great war. There have been dis
putes about the man who won the
war and even about the country that
won the war, but nobody has ever
doubted we were the winners.
We'll, We fought to preserve this
free democracy from foreign domina.
ton and dictation and to maintain the
rule Of law and order rather than
the rule of force.
| Certainly We succeeded in pre.
serving our freedom and, If our lib.
critics are in danger again and if We
are sure there is no other way OF
preserving them except by war, w
would fight again."
| Mr.. Chamberlain said the people
Of every nation in the world are ask
ing themselves whether we are going
to be plunged against our will into
war" He said there are no win
ners. but all are losers" in war.
1T IS unfortunate" he said at an.
other point, that one of the results
Of the great war Is that it is dim
cult now to find people to lend money
to, Of whom you can be quite certain
they will some day pay you back"
Britain only yesterday made a lone
preferential settlement with Germany
on Austria German postwar debts,
paving the way for future substantial
economic and political collaboration.
The rest Of the world, including the
United States, still must dicker with
Germany.