Evening star., 1938-12-19
France Will Fight
Il England Needs
Her, Says Bonnet
Expects Britain to Do
Same, Chamber of
Deputies Told
BACKGROUND


Great Britain and France are
on defensive against march OF
dtctdtors, but their 1Uedkness has
been displayed t1uice during past
year-in seizure OF Austria and
dismemberment of Csecho-Slo-
1dkia by Germany. Italy has
recently taken steps to reap some
benefits from Rome Berlin aris
by clamoring for French-o1pned
Tunisia, Corsica, Nice and Savoy.
By the Associated Press.
PARIS, Dec. 19-Foreign Min
lister Georges Bonnet told the
Chamber of Deputies today that lin
case of unprovoked aggression all
the forces of France-on land, sea
and in the air-spontaneously and
Immediately would be utilized for
the defense of Great Britain"
During a brief review of foreign
affairs M. Bonnet made plain that
France, at the same time, expects
Britain to do likewise for her.
THE foundation of our diplomatic
action remains the Franco British
entente" he said. IF one of the
two nations should be the object of
unprovoked aggression, the other
certainly would not hesitate to
come to her aid.
How could it be otherwise when
1t Is question of two nations like
France and Britain, whose relations,
following the expression of Cham
berlaln, are so close they surpass
simple juridical obligations be-
cause they are founded on an iden-
tity of interests"
No Surrender Bloc Forms.
The foreign minister's statement
came as numerous French groups
were organizing mo surrender"
bloc to fight what they feared was
plan to surrender part or all of
French and British Somaliland to
Italy.
Pending debate on the Daladier
governments foreign policy next
month. M. Bonnet said he would
confine himself to repeating previous
statements on foreign policy that:
l. French-BrltiSh relations never
have been closer than at present.
.. The Franco-German friendship
accord was signed to promote Euro.
pean peace and settle "misunder-
standing between Paris and Berlin
8. His oft-repeated statement
France never will cede an inch of
territory with an explanation of
diplomatic action taken following
Italian demonstrations demanding
Tunisia, Corsica and Nice.
4. France will hold to the nom
intervention accord designed to iso-
late the Spanish Civil War.
Believe War Could End Soon,
I'VE believe that the war would
end soon if foreign states left the
Spanish alone, face to face he
said.
The minister's brief declaration
resulted in immediate passage with
out debate of the budget for his
ministry.
Meanwhile, the mo surrender
bloc united strange bedfellows-
Communists, Royalists and inde-
pendent Centrists-in opposition to
cession of any East African colonies
to Italy.
Members of the group warned that
Prime Minister Chamberlain would
go to Rome with such an offer in
his pocket when he visits Mussolini
January lila.
II Duce's silence in his Sardinia
speech yesterday on the Italian
campaign for territorial expansion
IN the Mediterranean and Red Seas
failed to stif1e French fears.
Some observers believed II Duce's
silence only meant that he had
heard already of such offers from
London and Paris. despite denials
from officials OF both capitals.
Signs of another Munich"
These things were among those
that worried the no surrender"
bloc and inspired it to CRY that
Another Munich is coming."
First, Mr.. Chamberlain visit it
self. He goes to negotiate, not just
to shake hands," the Well-informed
commentator Pertinax wrote, land
in negotiations these days it is the
democracies which give, according
to his chamberlain views"
Second, an editorial in the Times
of London December II on Italian
claims in French Somaliland declared
that there is certainly room for a
new working agreement"
Third, the Daladier government s
insistence that contrary to custom
there should be no foreign policy
debate during discussion of the
budget for that ministry.
Victory Is Predicted
r. Ill.,