VICTORY TO BRITISH PUBLIC OPINION.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 302, 21 December 1935, Page 9

VICTORY TO BRITISH PUBLIC OPINION.

COMMONS DEBATE. peace Now More Distant Than Ever. JBELING AGAINST IL DUCE. Press Association.— Copyright. (Received 10 a.m.) LONDON, December 20. World comments on the crisis over the dispute between Italy and Abys,in.ia are almost wholly a tribute to the strength of British public opinion and the dignified method of its expression. Though "Popolo d'ltalia" considers that Sir Samuel Hoare was sacrificed to the electoral mob, the French "Le Jour" nuts the tribute more gracefully, stating that "the real victor of the day is British public opinion." A large section of the French Press finds Britain's strong stand the occasion for criticising Signor Mussohm "Le Petit Parisien" says that the failure of the peace plan is due primarily to insufficient echo from Rome. "Figaro" says that not even amongst the hitherto most fervent admirers of Signor Museolini is there a single Frenchman approving him or his painful harangue at Pontinia. JI Laval returned from Geneva to find'opinion decidedly hardened against Simor Mussolini. Opinion is crystal- , Using that if II Duce had been more conciliatory instead of bitter in his Pontinia speech, Mr. Baldwin might have, taken a different line and Sir Samuel Hoare might not have resigned. II Duce Blundered. Official! circles at Rome declare that the Pontinia speech was in no way a reply to the peace proposals, but there is a growing feeling that II Duce hlundered in describing them as a trick. Nobody is yet disposed to discuss the next step after the week's turmoil, though everywhere it is agreed that peace is more distant than ever. While some are inclined to think that Signor Mussolini scored a tactical success in the postponement of the oil embargo, others point out that the battle front lull has brought Italy correspondingly nearer the rainy season, which will halt operations in Abyssinia.

If the peace plan served no other purpose it enabled the man in the street to see, from the published maps showing the proposed territorial concessions, how little Italy has achieved by military operations either on the north or south front.

Nobody hitherto has actually defined Italy's probable answer to oil sanctions. The "Manchester Guardian" Rome correspondent gives the view in official quarters that it would bring war nearer and emphasise that it would not merely be a question of a conflict between Britain and Italy, but it would spread until it became Europe-wide and possibly world : wide.

Thus the League would become the greater of a struggle in which the League itself would be the first to be destroyed. Italians, think that too much water hae flowed beneath the bridges or the oil enlbargo now to be possible.

"MUST BE READY." Possible Use of Force Against Aggressor. BRITISH CHANCELLOR SPEAKS. (Received 1.30 p.m.) LONDON, December'2o. "Attempts to find a peaceful settlement to the Italo-Abyssinian dispute must at present be considered to have ended? Therefore, we must return to sanctions," said the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Neville Chamberlain, at Birmingham.

"I trust in due course that League members will show that they are prepared to make themselves ready to resist any attack made on a fellow member.

"Events have proved' that Britain, if she is going to participate in making the League a really effective instrument of peace, must be in a position to fulfil her obligations and to meet the risk that may arise. If others do likewise, that risk will disappear.

♦ "It must be remembered that whatever form of pressure the League exercises on a future aggressor, the ultimate fundamental fact is force.

"Unless the aggressor is satisfied that he Will be opposed to a potential force toe great to be withstood, you will never have security."

UNSETTLING EFFECT.

STOCK MARKET REACTION,

LONDON, December 20. The city editor of "The Times" says Samuel Hoare's resignation and the serious turn of the coal negotiations h »ve unsettled the stock markets.

•At .the opening prices were lower all found, hut there was no pressure to s ell, dealers in the security markets marking down prices immediately busitess began in order to check the selljig movement. A recovery occurred »ter, though it did not compensate for tt e earlier declines.

Blares of silver-producing companies Moke further, while the sanctions problem, has weakened oil shares.

LAVAL MAY RESIGN.

FINANCIAL FINGER POINTS. LONDON, December 20. ..TVParis correspondent of the "Daily Ma "' says that M. Laval's position Be emß hopeless now that the League has ejected the peace plan. The first results oi-tiie present crisis will probably be a i»»l flight of gold from France. The "°Wje has already reacted sharply, £*tes depreciating," and selling orders j*y [it&sn placed in all.degajtmente of