Evening star., 1938-02-28
HALIFAX PRAISED
BY CHAMBERLAIN
Baited In Commons, Prime
Minister Denies Suez
Deal With Italy.
1y the Associated Press.

ny LHe ASBOCiAV9u FIeSS.
LONDON, Feb. 28.-Prime Minister
Neville Chamberlain today faced .
truculent opposition In the House Of
Commons with a defense Of the ap-
pointment Of Viscount Halifax as for
eign secretary to replace Anthony
Eden. He declared Lord Fairfax had
"outstanding qualification" for the
post.
Chamberlain denied Italy was seek
ing q share in the defense Of the
Suez Canal as part Of the price for
an accord settling Anglo Italian Issues.
He added the canal convention pre-
cluded q reduction Of dues in favor
Of Italy alone.
1t WAS Chamberlain's desire for
speedy, realistic" approach to Anglo
italian agreement that brought on
Eden's resignation eight days ago.
Barbed Questions Answered.
Heartened by conservative cheers,
the Prime Minister replied briefly to
a long list Of barbed questions concern
ing the negotiations he is about to
start with Premier Mussolini.
He declared Lord Halifax's qualifi-
cations outweighed the disadvantages
of not having the foreign secretary
in the House Of Commons. The new
foreign secretary, as a peer, cannot
reply to questions in the lower house,
and Chamberlain has indicated he
would give such answers himself on
major issues of foreign policy.
The Labor opposition has announced
1t would fight the Halifax appoint
ment.
The Prime Minister answered other
questions thus:
That Austria had not broken any
treaty obligations through her agree
ment with Germany, hence any
British action was "uncalled for" at
present;
That he did not intend to ask Italy
about the use OF Italian arms in the
Spanish insurgents recapture Of
Teruel;
That he could not confirm the re-
ported arrival of new Italian arma-
ments in Spain.
Declines Reply to Henderson.
Pressed by Laborite Arthur Hen
derson for the identity Of the person
who informed him of Italy's accept
ance OF the British plan for withdraw
ing volunteers" from Spain before
Eden's resignation February 20,
Chamberlain declared a reply would
be mot in the public interest"
Chamberlain's receipt of this IN
formation figured in last Tuesdays
debate in the House of Commons, in
which David Lloyd George. wartime
Prime Minister, accused Chamberlain
of withholding it from Eden. though
the foreign secretary was on the verge
of resigning over the Italian issue
Today Chamberlain added cryptic
ally he did not himself know the in
formant's identity. Il only guess at
It," he said.
Ten thousand Communists and other
demonstrators marched on the Ital-
ian Embassy here yesterday in pro-
test against "surrendering to Italian
threats" They declared that assist
ing Fascist aggression" would not be
tolerated.
Communist demonstrators and other
sympathizers who massed in Trafalgar
Square and marched toward the
Italian Embassy were halted by
police. Two of their number were
permitted to deliver a resolution to
the ambassador. Count Dino Grandi
Busy opposition speakers at Sunday
meetings included Baron Strabolgi
labor peer" who addressed 1000 in
Hyde Park. He accused Lady Ivy
Muriel Chamberlain, widow of the
Prime Minister'S brother, Sir Austen,
and the American-bo Viscountess
Astor Of "meddling' with foreign af-
fairs.