CANNOT ACT ALONE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 293, 24 September 1935, Page 5

CANNOT ACT ALONE.

THE POSITION OF BRITAIN.

REPLY TO SPANISH SUGGESTION

LONDON, September 22. Most of the Sunday newspapers believe that the Italian communique rejecting the league peace proposals does not bar the way to further negotiation for a peaceful settlement. A good deal of attention is devoted to the tendency in the Italian and other foreign press to misrepresent the attitude of the British Government toward the dispute. The diplomatic correspondent of the 1 “Observer,” says: “The Spanish press for instance, has in the last few days been featuring the issue as if it were between Britain and Italy.” The writer continues, “It is important that the British Government’s policy should not be misunderstood. It is the League of Nations’ policy in which the cardinal principle is that of collective responsibility. The British Government is not competent, and has no desire or intention to take any action whatsoever except as a member of tlie league. British action, therefore, is entirely dependent upon the league’s decision,which, will commit France, Russia and all the smaller powers to take action.” The same point is made by an article in the “Sunday Times” on the theory of sanctions. “Mussolini evidently speaks and acts as though the issue at Geneva is between England and Italy, states the article. “Under the covenant there not only is, but can be, no dispute between Italy and this country. We would not act alone under the covenant, and we could not legally do so even if we would. Neither we nor any other member of the league has an> legal power to proceed to sanctions', except in the execution of the league s unanimous will, and common prudence dictates that that will must be unanimous not only in word but in deed. British Official Wireless.