3 JULY 1926, Page 7

Commander Locker-Lampson ably stated the case for breaking off relations

with Russia, and the White Book, of course, provided him with plenty of material. A speech full of common sense was that of •Mr. Hilton Young, who argued that the consequences of a break with Russia would be fatal. Russia must somehow or other, not merely for her own good, but for the peace of the world, have some link with the West. If she were left in isolation her activities would be driven underground and would become much more dangerous. The real issue, therefore, was not whether Russia deserved ostracism, but whether ostracizing her was good policy for Great Britain. Mr. Ramsay MacDonald, with his own conduct as Foreign Secretary on record, could not very well say smooth things about the Soviet Government, and though he tried to find causes for blaming the Government he did not avoid irritating his own extremists.