The most striking speech in the debate came from Mr.
Attlee, whose leadership of the Parliamentary Labour Party in the absence of Mr. Lansbury has been a pronbunced success. His speech seemed to bring defi- nitely nearer the prospect of a foreign policy common to all parties. Broadly speaking, he refused peace-at-any- price theories, and though opposed to any increase in our forces, would put what forces we have at the disposal of the League of Nations. In short, the Labour Party is ready to fight wars to end wars. It would be a mistake to think that foreign affairs will become uncontroversial, but there seems some chance that policy may in fact regain continuity. Not the least promising sign of this was Sir John Simon's offer t3 welcome Russia into the League of Nations—an offer which provoked only the slightest of Conservative growls.
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