Evening star., 1938-12-23
British Hostility
To Axis Dealings
Found Growing
Big Chamberlain Margin
In Vote Found Not
Representative
BY DEWITT MACKENZIE.


Chicago Daily News Foreign Correspondent
LONDON, Dec. 23.-The big vot.
Of conf1dence-340 to 143-whicf
Prime Minister Chamberlain re.
ceived in the House of Common.
after bitter attack by the opposi-
tion on his policy of "appeasement'
toward the dictators gives a not
altogether true picture of the SEN
timent of the House and public.
It means that the Conservative
whip has kept $40 members in line
but it doesn't mean that all of them
believed the way they voted.
There is rising tide of sentiment
In England against further dicker-
ing with Rome-Berlin axis which
thus far has been mostly take and
little give The writer noted a SIM
liar reaction during a very recent
visit in France. That sentiment is
reflected in Parliament, where even
some of the die-hard Tory party
have deserted the Chamberlain flag
Cup Filled to Overlooking.
The hardening toward the au-
thoritarian leaders-and this is
mainly directed against Herr Hitler
really dates back to the Nazi tri-
umph Of Munich.
The vivesection of Czecho- -Slovakia
was more than the public had bar
gained for. The fresh anti-Jewish
campaigns in both Germany and
Italy and the Italian territorial
claims against France have filled
the cup almost to overflowing.
Another revolt has developed in
the cabinet itself, this time among
Junior members who are threatening
to resign unless rearmament is
speeded up. In other woSds, they
want stronger stand against the
totalitarians-a sort of echo of the
crisis which resulted in Anthony
Eden resigning as foreign minister
because he disagreed with his chiefs
policy.
They charge that inefficiency in
the war ministry has retarded the
rearmament program and they heap
the blame on the minister of war,
AAOA S-oCA1OAld. 4lIOCCo, ~ 10
they even have demanded the resig-
nation of this colorful personality,
Tor whom great things. including the
prime ministership, have been pre-
dicted.
Quizzed on "Appeasement."
I put the much -belabored ques-
tion Of "appeasement" up to Brit
tains famous man of peace, Wis
count Cecil-winner of the Nobel
prize and one Of the chief architects
of the League of Nations. No man
IN England could subscribe more
fully to the declaration by Premier
Chamberlain just before the fateful
Munich conference:
Il am myself man of peace to
the depths of my soul. Armed con-
fict between nations is a nightmare
to me-"
And yet Lord Cecil brought me
up with a start by asserting that
ke would have gone to war to save
Czecho-Slovakia from invasion.
I hadn't exactly expected that
from this world-famous proponent
Of peace, though I have known him
since the days when used to watch
him at work on the Covenant of
the League during the conference
OF Versailles. He explained himself
quickly, however:
THE public Is more and more
convinced that there is no use try
ing to buy off the dictators," he
said.
"Appeasement is no good. That
gets us back to pre-war conditions.
There Is nothing new in a policy
OF appeasement. 1t always has been
the business of diplomacy to keep
nations from coming to blows.
"Chamberlain is increasing arma-
ments. That means war, for war is
the alternative to disarmament ~
Favored Clear Position.
He paused and looked across at
me inquiringly. We were sitting in
great armchairs before an open fire
in his drawing room and as usual
his long body was curled up so that
he was sitting on the middle of his
back.
You interest me strangely" I
told him. Would you have gone
to war over Czecho-
He nodded and gave me quizzical
smile.
I'VE should have made our posi-
ton clear about Czecho- -Slovakia
way back early this year." he said,
adding that England either should
have stated plainly that she would
fight to prevent invasion of the
country. or that she wouldn't fight
70 protect it. That would have
given the little republic a chance
20 lay proper plans.
Il think England should have
stood by Czecho-Slovakia, he added
quietly. Il shouldn't have inter-
fered with German -Czecho- Slovak
negotiations, but I should have pre-
vented invasion of Czecho-S -Slovakia
by Germany"