15 JULY 1938, Page 1

Mr. Eden and Mr. Chamberlain Last week Mr. Anthony Eden

made a speech in which he stressed the danger that there might come into being " two standards of conduct in international affairs, with the result that, though nations used the same language, they meant entirely different things." Thus, in the case of Spain, non-intervention might mean honestly keeping the ring, or it might mean, as it has meant with Italy, " intervening to whatever extent might be necessary to ensure the victory of one side." This is not the moment to discuss the reality of the differences between Mr. Chamberlain and Mr. Eden, who again affirmed that a positive policy in defence of British interests and international decency was not a policy dangerous to peace ; but it is the moment to insist that in this critical interpretation of a " Spanish settlement " we must be quite sure that Italy and Britain mean the same thing. Mr. Chamberlain has laid it down that the Spanish conditions of the Anglo-Italian Agreement must be fulfilled before it comes into force. The most effective reply that he can make to Mr. Eden will be to prove that in this matter he has not been duped.

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