TWO NOTES SENT TO LEGUE OF NATIONS

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 235, 4 October 1935, Page 7

TWO NOTES SENT TO LEGUE OF NATIONS

AGGRESSIVE ACT. Italy's Attack a "Defensive Operation." ETHIOPIA'S MOBILISATION. British Official Wireless. (Received 1.30 p.m.) RUGBY, October 3. Developments in the Italo-Abys-sinian dispute took a graver turn this morning. Two communications were handed to the League of Nations, one on behalf of the Emperor of Abyssinia and one from the Italian Government. Following is tlie text of the Abyssinian Note:— "Addis AbaT>a, October 3, 1935. "To the Secretary-General, "Please communicate to tlie Council and the State's members that a telegram was received this morning, October 3, from Has Seyum, informing the Imperial Government that Italian military aeroplanes this morning bombarded Adowa and Adigrat, making numerous victims among the civilian population, including women and children, and destroying numerous houses. A battle is at present taking place in the province of Agame. These facts, occurring in Abyssinian territory, constitute violation of the Empire's' frontier and a breach of the Covenant by Italian aggression."— (Signed) Minister for Foreign Affairs. Italy's Allegations. The Italian Note to the League says:— "I have the Tionour to communicate the following: "The warlike and aggressive spirit which has developed in Ethiopia among the leaders and tribesmen who have long insisted on demanding war with Italy ami have succeeded in imposing it, has found its latest and complete expression in an order for general mobilisation announced by the Emperor in a telegram of September 28. "That order represents a direct and immediate call to Italian troops. The Italian Government has liad the honour to furnish in its memorandum submitted on September 4 documentary evidence of the continual and sanguinary aggression to which Italy has been subjected in recent decades. "With orders for a general mobilisation, that aggression has assumed larger proportions and a wider scope, manifestly involving grave and immediate threat against which it was essential, for elementary reasons of security, to take action without delay. "Confronted by this situation the Italian Government has found itself pledged to authorise command in Eritrea and take the necessary measures of advance." The Note is signed by Signor Suvich. Both above notes have been communij catcd to the States members of the League as well as the Council. Following receipt of these communications at Geneva there were discussions among the principal delegates and later it was announced that the Secretary-General of the League, M. Avenal, had summoned a meeting of the League Council for 10.30 a.m. on Saturday morning. It is anticipated that the League Assembly will also be summoned and Geneva messages state the meeting will probably bo held on Monday or Tuesday. The procedure, which will be adopted by the League Council, in view of these developments, is engaging tlie close attention of Geneva. It is assumed that when the facts referred to are established the Council will consider the matter in relation to Article XII. of the Covenant of tlie League. Under this article members of the League agree to submit any dispute likely to lead to a rupture to arbitration or inquiry by the Council, and agree in no case to resort to war until three months after the award by arbitrators or a report by the Council. The opening sentence of Article XVI. of the Covenant states: "Should any member of the League resort to war in disregard of its covenants under Articles XII., XIII. or XV. it shall, ipso facto, be deemed to have committed an act of war against all other members of the League, which hereby undertake immediately to subject it to a severance of all trade or financial relations."