Evening star., 1941-05-06
Eden Expresses Faith
Turkey Will Remain
Loyal 10 Britain
Sooner U. S. Aid Reaches
BottIefieIds Sooner War
Will End, Commons Told
BY the Associated Press.

| LoNboN, May O.-fOrelSn Dec
retary Anthony Eden told the House
of Commons today that the sooner
United States war materials reach
the battlefelds of Asia, Africa and
Europe the sooner the war will end
He expressed faith that Turkey
would stand by Britain and he told
Arab peoples, including the Iraqis,
to beware of an Axis victory.
During his review, which opened
the governments statement in full
dress debate on the conduct Of the
war, heckling member interrupted
Mr.. Eden's reference to United
States aid with: Let us do a bit
ourselves"
Mr.. Eden promptly retorted he
was "presupposing maximum effort
of ourselves and the United States
of America"
Attacked by Critics.
Government critics, among them
Leslie Hore-Belisha, rose to attack
Mr. Eden's long review.
Now that events are going against
us. I trust temporarily" Mr.. Hore-
Belisha said. there is tendency
to minimize their Importance, to
distinguish them from what is hap
pening in the Atlantic"
Laborite Hastings Bertrand Lees
Smith, speaking from the front op-
position bench, warned that in the
battle of Suez Britain had smaller
margin of time than in the battle
of the Atlantic.
I'm the Mediterranean" he said,
1T is a race between Hitler's imme-
diate advantage and our power to
build up equipment to hold him
until American supplies swing in our
favor some months hence"
The Laborite speaker wanted to
know why measures were not taken
to keep German panzer divisions out
of Libya and asked if the govern
ment was satisfied that the French
government at Vichy is maintaining
strict neutrality.
Telling of diplomatic efforts in the
Near East preceding the Nazi in
vasion of Greece and Yugoslavia,
Mr.. Eden declared he was impressed
by the loyal friendship and deter
mination of the Turks to stand firm
against any menace to their SOW
ereignty."
The trouble which he said was
created" in Iraq. Mr.. Eden went on,
is of great concern to both Britain
and Turkey.
He declared Britain had nothing
to be ashamed of in her dealings
with the Arab peoples, most of all
Iraq, "whos4 independence we as
sured; it is'w who have assisted
them and in every respect we have
kept our word"
Mr.. Eden said the British were
very grateful for the offer of the
good Offices of the Turkish and
Egyptian governments in mediation,
but until Iraq withdrew her troops
from Habbaniyah and ceased hos
tilities, Britain would not discuss
fulfillment of her treaty rights.
Arabs In any land must know
that the approach of Axis rule
means the end of their liberty,
which they have jealousy guarded
and which, in alliance with us, are
safe today" he declared.
Irish Bases Mentioned.
Mr.. Lees-Smith brought Irish
bases into the debate, declaring that
cit is worth while calling attention
of the United States to this matter,
because the policy of patrol which
the United States now has UNDER
taken is being defeated and stulti-
fled by the policy of Southern Ire
land of refusing us those ports"
Il believe" he added, expression
OF public opinion in the United
States and representations from the
United States have more influence
with the government of Southern
Ireland than from any other country
in the world"
Mr. Hore-Belisha said there was
no question that Britain was obli-
gated to 60 to the aid Of Greece, but
asked why, during the months before
that, Italy, "the most vulnerable
country in Europe" with railways
and industries concentrated along
$500 miles of coastline, wasn't
bombed by the r. A. F. while the
Greeks were whipping the Italian
Army in Albania
why has such tenderness been
shown Italy" Mr.. Hore- -Belisha
asked, when Greece was crying out
for airplanes and Beaverbrook (until
recently Minister of Aircraft Pro-
duction) was saying our stores were
bulging with airplanes?"
He declared that night after
night when Greece was in travail
the r. A. F. bombed Germany. The
opportunity to bomb Italy, which
existed for six months, he added, is
gone now.
Mr. Hore-Belisha criticized the
arpy's strategy and diplomatic
maneuvers in the Near East. de-
manding why did we allow all this
to happen in 1raq?"