Evening star., 1938-03-18
BRITISH INTERVENE
IN BALTIC DISPUTE.
London Also Joins France
in Plea to Vatican on
Spanish Bombinqs.
~ the Associated Press.

~ the Associated Press.
LONDON, March 1s.-Prime Min
lister Chamberlain shifted Britain's
buffeted world diplomacy into gear to-
day in new efforts to prevent a Bal
tic war and end bombing horrors in
Spain.
Struggling with cabinet and party
differences at home, he told the House
Of Commons:
l. Britain was intervening outside
the League of Nations in the Polish-
Lithuanian dispute to balk an armed
struggle which might send German
troops into the Germanic port of
Memel, Baltic city in Lithuania once
a part of East Prussia
2. Britain and France were seeking
the powerful help of the Vatican on
an appeal to both sides in the Spanish
Civil War to stop merciless bombing of
civilian populations at Barcelona and
elsewhere.
Shuns League Action.
Raited by opposition members, Mr..
Chamberlain declined to depend on
League Of Nations action to prevent
Polish Lithuanian clash and ignored
demands that Britain let nti-aucraft
GUNS go to Spain to strengthen gov
ernment defense against air raids.
While Mr. Chamberlain spoke in
Commons the Lithuanian Minister,
p K. Balutis, conferred at the foreign
ONCE with Viscount Halifax, foreign
secretary
The attitude of Britain's dominions.
an important factor in Mr. Chamber
lain's choice. still has not been ascer-
tanned, said informed persons.
These informants, however, said 1t
was likely the dominions would main
tain their general opposition to def
mite commitments for action on the
European continent expressed in the
imperial conference last May.
Reports Ultimatum.
Chamberlain told Commons he I'M
derstood Poland had delivered a 36-
hour ultimatum to Lithuania. but that
the British government was in touch
With both governments concerned.
He added that the British Ambas-
sador to Warsaw already had i'm
pressed on the Polish government the
nope that the present situation would
not be used as a pretext for making
wider demands.
Mr.. Chamberlain. expressing his
horror" at insurgent air attacks upon
Barcelona, Spain, which killed hur-
dreds in repeated bombings since
Wednesday night announced that the
British and French governments were
seeking the support of the Vatican
FOR joint appeal to both Spanish
factions to halt the ombardments.
Declaring no one could have read
accounts of the bombings without
horror and disgust" the premier said:
His Majesty's government and the
French government have agreed on
an appeal to both parties in Spain to
stop bombardments of this character
and the French government have now
approached the Vatican with the
view of obtaining their association
with that appeal"
The Vatican's influence was sought
because of the Catholic strength on
hoth sides Of the Spanish civil con-
fict.
REFUSES tn Answer LabOrite.
With a difference within his cab
met threatening split because o.
criticism of Mr.. Chamberlain's cau-
tious policy in Spain and toward
Czechoslovakia. the Premier declined
tn reply to Laborite question whether
he now was satisfied planes bombing
Barcelona were German and Italian,
He likewise refused to answer
whether Britain would consider pro-
viding the Spanish government with
snti-aircraft guns if Franco refused
the new appeal to stop bombing of
cities.
Criticized at home and facing mani
fold war-fraught situations abroad.
Mr.. Chamberlain appeared to have de-
fermlned upon sit tight" policy
until the situation within his cabinet
vss cleared.
One of his dilemmas was whether
tn make an outright declaration Brit
sin would go to the aid of Czechnslo.
vskia should she call for soldiers to
face Nazi aggression.
Split in Cabinet.
Led by the energetic young war min.
lister, Leslie Hore- -Belisha, and bull
wsrked by sizable backing in Com
mons. the dissident faction in the
cabinet demanded clear-cut pIedre
OF aid to the Czechs, as urged by
France.
committee Of conservatives in
Parliament headed by Winston
Churchill and Robert j. G. Boothby.
besides asking for a clear policy
toward C7echoslovakia, wanted a Arm
er attitude concerning the war in
spain. 1t was said this movement
might command as many as so gov
eminent supporters in Parliament.