Evening star., 1939-05-19
Chamberlain
Bids Reich 10
Pledge Peace
Won't Buy 1t With
Concessions, He\
Tells Commons
BACKGROUND

BAChGROUND-
President Roosevelt on April
ID appealed to Chancellor Hitler
and Premier MuSSolini to keep
peace for at least 10 years. Hitler
in reply t1Oo 1reeks later offered
reciprocal security pactS to all
nations Which considered them
SelUes mcndced by Germany.
Britain and France hare been
stirling to build security bloc,
but negotiations betWeen Britain
and Russia haze held up its
completion.
B, the associated Press
LONDON, May l9.-Prime Min
lister Chamberlain offered today to
lay down definite long range policy
for European peace if Germany
would renounce in convincing way
the intention of aggression or the
further use of force" in her relations
with other countries.
Speaking in foreign affairs debate
in the House of Commons Mr..
Chamberlain said, however. that
Britain was mot prepared to buy
peace with concession which would
only lead to further demands
He was replying to David Lloyd
George, wartime prime minister,
who had demanded speedy conclu-
sion of an alliance with Soviet Rus
sia. and Clement R. Attlee. leader
of the Labor opposition, who had
urged clear and firm foreign
policy.
Blames Reich Government.
Mr.. Chamberlain declared that the
German government itself was re-
sponsible for a lack of faith in its
assertion of non-aggressive inten-
tions and added:
If We could have such a renuncia-
ton tof aggressive aims. if we could
have the conviction that there was
no intention of aggression or the
further use of force in the relations
between Germany and other coun-
tries. then I think we would find we
would not be backward in stating
what is our view of the lines on
which we would discuss the terms of
a permanent peace
Though he said Germanvs de-
mandS for her War-loSt colonies un-
doubtedly would be involved in such
a peace, he said that would not mean
Britain will refuse to discuss any
method by which we can satisfy
reasonable aspirat tions Z" 80
Answering criticism by speakers
OF delay in the British Russian
negotiations and indirectly Russia S
own charges that Britains proposals
lacked a basis of full reciprocity,
the Prime Minister said:
The British government have
never desired to ask the Soviet gov
ernment to do anything which they
were not prepared to do themselves.
They have always wanted the ar
rangement to be reciprocal"
Don't Fear Russian Doctrine.
He said he found it difficult to
understand why it should ever have
been thought that our suggestion
was lacking in reciprocity" Then he
declared:
I'VE are not concerned at all with
the Russian International Doctrine.
We are concerned with build
ing up peace front We want it.
We attach value to it."
But, he added, we would rather
have delay of a few days than to
take step which might result in
the work already done, crumbling
before our very eyes"
Mr. Chamberlain said Britain had
asked Russia to make a declaration
to aid Poland and Rumania similar
to the pledges given those coun-
tries by Britain and France. When
this was not acceptable to Russia,
he said I'VE tried again. ..
We were anxious that we should be
able to come to an agreement
quickly
Just before the House began its
debate, with emphasis on the gov
ernments failure thus far to con-
clude pact with Russia, that
country's ambassador, Ivan Maisky
delivered a note to the foreign
Office.
1t was understood that this ex-
pressed again the Soviet position in
favor of a British French Russian
accord involving definite military
commitments and talks among the
general staffs of the three powers
Maisky later sat in the diplomatic
gallery to hear the debate.
The Prime Minister described the
pledges Britain and France gave
Poland, Rumania and Greece-to
aid them in resisting any attack
endangering their independence-as
(see LONDON, Page AID