The Struggle For Peace

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ber showed clearly enough that no proposals which would
involve intervention in the conflict on the part of the Members
of the League of Nations would have any chance of acceptance.
Of course. His Majesty's Government could not alone under-
take that great burden. The right hon. Gentleman asked me.
Can we show what we are doing to carry out our obligations
under the League resolutions ? and he made special reference
to the request of China for a loan. We considered long and
anxiously whether we should be justified in introducing the
special legislation which would have been necessary if this
Government had granted or guaranteed such a loan, and we
came finally to the definite conclusion that we should not
be so justified in the case of a loan, which would have
been based upon security of hypothetical value, and as
to which it was by no means certain that, if it were
granted, it would achieve the objects which were intended.
The fact that we have not been able to grant or guarantee
a loan to China does not exclude all forms of assistance,
financial or otherwise, and there are various proposals which
have come to us from China for assistance in another way,
which are not open to the objections at any rate which we
found to a loan, and which are now under examination by
the Government Departments concerned*
" It cannot be said that we are disinterested as a country in
the position in the Far East, because for a hundred years our
interests in China have been of great importance, and when the
Japanese Government claim that they are protecting their
interests in China, I am sure they must recognise that we too
have our interests in China and that we cannot stand by and
see them sacrificed in the process. But there again, in the
Far East, we should be very glad to offer our services to bring
about the cessation of hostilities if ever and whenever we can
see an opportunity which presents a favourable prospect of
success. In the meantime we are resolved to do our utmost
to see that British interests shall not suffer in a conflict for
which we have no responsibility and in which we have no
direct concern.
" I think that I have touched on all matters which are of
special interest to the House, but in this survey, which has
included a glance at two ferocious wars, and an area which is