Mr. Chamberlain, the Prime Minister, made his statement on foreign policy to a crowded House of Commons yesterday.
Mr. Chamberlain╒s chief declarations were:╤
(1) There can be no direct guarantee to Czecho-Slovakia and no pledge of automatic help to France if she became involved in war because of her commitments to Czecho-Slovakia;
(2) Non-intervention in Spain is still the best policy; and
(3) There is to be a big acceleration of the rearmament programme in which defence requirements must take priority in respect of both men and material.
Points from the speech follow:╤
Peace is our aim, but we are bound by certain obligations that would entail the necessity of fighting if the necessity arose, and I hope no one doubts that we should be prepared to fulfil our obligations.
Our existing commitments which might lead to the use of our arms are, first of all, in defence of France and Belgium against unprovoked aggression. We have also obligations by treaty to Portugal, Iraq, and Egypt.
Then there are certain vital interests of this country for which if they were menaced we should fight-for the defence of British territories and the communications which were vital to our national existence.
There are other causes, too, for which we should fight if we were clear that we must fight or abandon once and for all the hope of averting the destruction of those things we hold most dear ╤ our liberties, the right to live our lives according to standards which our national traditions and national characteristics have prescribed for us.
In addition (in Mr. Eden╒s words), our armaments may be used in bringing help to a victim of aggression in any case where in our judgment it would be proper under the provision of the Covenant to do so. Such a case might include Czecho-Slovakia. In such instances (as Mr. Eden had said) there is, however, no automatic obligation to take military action.
