RUSH SANCTIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 238, 8 October 1935, Page 7

RUSH SANCTIONS.

BRITISH PARLIAMENT. Tories Likely to Exploit World Situation. ELECTION IN NOVEMBER. United Press Association. —Copyright. (Received 11 a.m.) LONDON, October 7. The Sun-Herald representative says that party headquarters expect that Parliament will rush sanctions legislation through in a short session to enable prorogation followed by a general election in November. The Conservatives particularly want the Government to go to the country on the rearmament programme, believing that the international situation has played into their hands. It has certainly united the Conservatives to a degree unknown since the election of 1931. On the contrary it has seriously divided Labour, who admit that the split may cost them 50 seats in the coming election. MOMENTUM OF EVENTS Possibility of Negotiation Not Precluded. BRITISH PRESS COMMENT. LONDON, October 7. "The Times," .in a leading article, refers to the gathering momentum of events at Geneva and cites the report of the Committee of Thirteen, saying that its conclusions and Baron Aloisi's "flimsy excuses," do not preclude the possibilities of negotiation. The League's procedure may lead to criticisms of its slowness, but every step must be considered in order to avoid making a bad position worse. Economic and financial measures, though slow and dependent upon the co-opera-tion of the States outside the League, need not, therefore, be ineffectual. The value of the League lies in helping Italy to realise how terrible her blunder is before it becomes irretrievable.

The "Daily Telegraph" suggests that the victory at Adowa will enable Italian chivalry to forget the disaster of 1896. The report of the Committee of Thirteen is a unanimous verdict on all counts against Italy. There is no thought of imposing other than economic and financial sanctions, yet their pressure will be negligible unless they are made most effective from the outset.

The "Daily Herald" says the record of the Council meeting can hardly be read without a sense of shame. The fiagrancy of Italy's aggression was patent on Thursday, yet the Council on Saturday did nothing but appoint a committee to inquire whether there had been any aggression at all. M. Laval undoubtedly' will employ every pretext to ensure that any action is innocuous to Italy. This is sabotaging the League.

Unless the League acts swiftly and effectively, it is useless for safeguarding European peace. Mr. Roosevelt's proclamation finely contrasts with Geneva's hesitation. The war can be speedily stopped if the Council displays courage and decision.

The "Daily Mail" says it doubts I whether Britain and the Dominions will 1 face the risk of war on behalf of the League, besides a possible war of British self-defence. If the League transforms itself into an instrument of war it will speedily end its career. "We can avoid war by rearming and minding our own business," says the paper. ITALY'S CONTENTION. REPLY TO LEAGUE REPORT. (Received 2 p.m.) GENEVA, October 7. The Italian memorandum, replying to the Committee of Thirteen report, declares that the tripartite agreement of 190G provided for the territorial union of Eritrea and Italian Somaliland by a line west of Addis Ababa. This explicit safeguard clause suffices to indicate the interests Italy is entitled to safeguard. Moreover, such rights, although they might contradict the Covenant, cannot be considered as having lapsed. Such an argument might have serious consequences, as most of the colonial empires of the world are based on such treaties. The memorandum adds, presumably referring to Anglo-Egyptian relations: "Is it proposed to deny the validity of a colonial agreement which Italy concluded with Britain alid France regarding Ethiopia, while other agreements which are still retained prevent nations, already declared independent, from entering the League ?" BRITISH CAUTION. INDIAN TROOPS DISPATCHED. (Received 12.30 p.m.) LONDON, October 7. The Sun-Herald news service says that reports have reached London, about which official quarters are silent, that Indian troops have been dispatched to British Somaliland for defensive works, and including the digging of trenches, also to be carried out in Egypt.

It is further stated tliat British and Italian warships have each searched merchantmen in the Mediterranean.

WILL WORK TOGETHER.

ANGLO-EGYPTIAN DECISION.

LONDON, October 7,

The Alexandria correspondent of "The Times" says he understands that as the result of lengthy conferences between Britain and Egypt owing to the potential threat to Egyptian frontiers by the reinforcement of the Italian garrisons in Libya, harmonious co-operation between the two countries is ensured in case of need.

Public opinion still chafes under inferiority but appears to be more favourable to Britain.