WANTED IN SPAIN.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 69, 23 March 1937, Page 7

WANTED IN SPAIN.

LESS INTERVENTION.

Anxiety Expressed in British

Quarters.

MB. EDEN ON ITALIAN TROOPS. British Official Wireless. (Received 1.30 p.m.) RUGBY, March 22. Asked whether landing of Italian troops with arms and munitions in Spain for the purpose of making war on the constitutional Government in that country before February 20 did not constitute violation of the nonintervention agreement, of the Briand-Kellogg Pact and the Covenant of the League of Nations, the Foreign Secretary, Mr. Eden, told the House of Commons that if, by Italian troops, units of the Italian Army were meant, he had no evidence which established the landing of such units in Spain.

In any event the question of violation of the non-intervention agreement was one for consideration by the Non-inter-vention Committee itself.

He did not feel called upon to express an opinion in regard to the remaining parts of the question.

Mr. Eden and the Earl of Plymouth, chairman of the committee, met'a deputation of the Trade Union Congress, who conveyed to the Ministers a resolution passed at the recent international conference in London. They expressed the grave anxiety felt in the Labour movement at the delay in operation of effective control in connection with the non-intervention agreement.

Present arrangements in their view were operating greatly to the detriment of the Spanish Government as was evidenced by reports of the continued landing of Italian and German troops in Spain.

The deputation urged that decisive steps should be taken to establish an effective system of control and to secure the early withdrawal of foreign troops from Spain.

Mr. Eden said that in his view the essential thing was to bring into effective operation the supervision scheme at the earliest possible moment. The Government would do everything in its power to expedite a solution of other pressing problems in connection with the situation in Spain, including the withdrawal of foreign nationals taking part in the conflict. Visits were made to the Foreign Office by the French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Russian Ambassadors in London. Each was informed that the British Government was anxious about the next step in the non-intervention scheme in Spain. The Government expressed the hope that it would be possible for the full operation of the scheme to come into effect as soon as possible.

A full meeting of the international committee for the application of the agreement regarding non-intervention was summoned for to-day. It is assumed that this development indicates that propress has been made toward ending the deadlock which arose over the question of sharing the cost.

HURRYING HOME.

Signor Mussolini Annoyed By Rumours. FAILURE OF TROOPS IN SPAIN? (Received 1 p.m. 7 LONDON, March 22. Reports from Rome suggest that a more pressing reason than a sandstorm prompted Signor Mussolini to curtail his African tour. The "Daily Herald" Rome correspondent says the defeat of the Italian forces at Madrid, which has inflicted a setback upon Italy's prestige in Central Europe, lias alarmed and angered Signor Mussolini. j All news of the Italian defeats is being withheld from the Italian people. 11 Duce is expected to-night. A radio message from the cruiser Pola described how Signor Mussolini reviewed the second naval squadron, after which, despite rough weather, the Pola, escorted by four cruisers, raced at full speed for Gaeta. An official spokesman stated that Signor Mussolini's return was not hastened by any political motive. II Duce, when informed of Press comments' on the subject was annoyed at their) "tendentious nature."

RED CROSS UNIT.

WISH OF HAMILTON MEETING.

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent. > HAMILTON, this day.

A decision to ask the Mayor to convene a public meeting to consider sending a Red Cross unit to Spain, was made at a meeting of the Hamilton Labour Representation Committee, at which 26 delegates representing the Labour party and trade unions attended. An address was given by Mr. C. A. Barrell, M.P.

FRANCO WILL WIN.

French Military Head Urges

Parleys. COMING FLOOD OF REFUGEES. PARIS, March 19. That the Spanish civil war will soon be ended, with General Franco as victor, is the publicly-stated belief of Andre Beaugitte, one-time vice-president of the Army Commission. In an article in "Le Matin," he asserts that General Franco is disposed towards good relations with France. He asks wluit the Government will do* and urges that it should, in the interests of France, and especially in view of border difficulties, immediately begin conversations with the military chief of the new Spain. "It is not enough for the French representative at General Franco's headquarters to play the part of a polite observer," he says. "It is not a question of throwing ourselves into the arms of the conqueror, but of seeking security for France by negotiations which would define the measures we must take on the frontier for the . security of our territory."

M. Beaugitte forecasts a possible panic flight across tlie frontier by the armed but overthrown Spanish Government forces. If the frontier is open the vanquished forces might swarm into France. •