WILL ALL POWERS KEEP OUT OF SPAIN?

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 185, 6 August 1936, Page 7

WILL ALL POWERS KEEP OUT OF SPAIN?

agreement urged. France and Britain Willing, Italy Undecided. GERMANY WAITS ON RUSSIA. British Official Wireless. (Received 12.80 p.m.) RUGBY, August 5. The announcement that the British Government's reply to the French Kote strongly supports the general principle of the French Government that there be an agreed arrangement among the various Powers for nonintervention in Spain, is welcomed in all responsible British quarters.

"The Times" says it is really imperative for every one that a general policy of non-intervention should he adopted. Europe is full of tinder which a single spark of impetuous or calculated partisanship may set ablaze. The civil war in Spain might very easily become a civil war in Europe. That must at all costs be prevented.

The "Daily Telegraph" says there will be no rapid agreement 011 details of joint policy unless all Powers are equally agreed 011 two points. One is to treat the Spanish peril as menace to the general peace of Europe, and not as an affair of black and red. The other is to refrain from fishing for their own selfish interests in troubled waters. Nonintervention will be best for Spain and safest for Europe. No Decision at Rome. The French Note was sent also to Rome, where it is understood to be still under consideration. Belgium agrees, and reports state Germany also is prepared to discuss the best means of ensuring general neutrality provided Russia also accepts the proposal.

Press messages from Paris state that the French Government instructed the Ambassador to Moscow and the Minister to Lisbon to invite those Governments to associate themselves with the principle of lion-intervention in the Spanish civil war. The French Government will keep the British Government informed as to the results of its inquiries in other capitals. British Government's View. The British reply is known to have emphasised the anxiety which the Government shares with the French as to corfsequences which might ensue from support of any of the parties to the Spanish conflict by outside Powers. While the British Government would undoubtedly welcome agreement to obviate these risks it is likely to have pointed out the necessity, if it is to ensure that result, that agreement should lie simultaneously accepted by all Powers' concerned. There would be 110 objection, however, in the British view, to a declaration by Powers most immediately interested that they would prevent the supply from their territories of arms and munitions t of war to Spain. In advance of general agreement to the same effect, the British Government itself has been acting all along in conformity with the principle of non-inter-vention, and therefore it certainly would be ready to join in making such declaration if, and as soon as, other Governments are prepared to do so. NAVAL AIR BATTLE. 'Planes Attack Fleet After Bombardment. ONE VESSEL BOMBED. (Received 2.30 p.m.) GIBRALTAR, August 5. As a result of an all-night bombardment of C'euta by the Government warships Lepanto, Jaime Primero, Libertad and Churruca, the Lepanto temporarily took refuge off the north mole with a seaman killed and a number wounded. |

Five aeroplanes had swept from Ceuta at dawn and began bombarding the fleet hut the anti-aircraft guns of all the vessels except the Lepanto kept the attackers at a safe distance.

The Lepanto's only anti-aircraft gun had been disabled, and she was compelled to retreat, with 'planes buzzing in pursuit, bombing wildly. One bomb struck her stern, damaging a gun and killing a master gunner and wounded five other men. MANY REFUGEES. WORK OF BRITISH NAVY. British Ofiieial Wireless. (Received 12.30 p.m.) RUGBY, August 5. Reports received in London state that the British hospital ship Maine is to-day taking 150 refugees from Madrid and Valencia. (jn arrival at the latter town of the destroyer Basilisk, 15 nationalities were represented among the 468 refugees, including the Norwegian and Venezuelan Ministers to Spain, whom the cruiser Devonshire landed at Marseilles.

The cruiser Shropshire is proceeding from Malta to take the Devonshire's place at Valencia. A British destroyer has taken .members of the Swedish and Argentine Legations to St. Jean de Luz, and British, Swiss, Norwegians and Americans have been evacuated from Santander. All British nationals have now been taken from Ronda. The battleship Queen Elizabeth has left Gibraltar for Barcelona. NUN'S ESCAPE. AUSTRIAN ARCHDUCHESS. (Received 10.30 a.m.) LONDON, August 5. The "Austrian Archduchess Assunta, aged 34, escaped from Barcelona in a man's clothes. She was a cloistered ■nun in the convent of Sainte Therese. When the "Red" militia threatened to turn the building she and others managed to escape. She fled from the country after great trials and reached Vienna.