The League and Spain

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21953, 30 November 1936, Page 8

The League and Spain

Considering its desperate straits and the painfully dilatory methods of the London committee on non-intervention, the Spanish Government can hardly be blamed for requesting the convocation of the Council of the League of Nations to investigate charges that Italy and Germany are assisting General Franco. Nor is it easy to believe that the League is in consequence “ presented with a situation which “ may lead to its downfall.” The most that the Council can do or can be expected to do is to survey and report upon the operation of the non-intervention pact in the light of such evidence as it is able to assemble. There is no reason why such a step should be embarrassing to either Great Britain or to France, since they have both done their best to secure the enforcement of the pact. Moreover, since the League Council is required by the covenant

to take notice of situations likely to lead to a breach of the peace, it is clearly desirable that it should consider the Spanish situation. It is not necessary or desirable that it should attempt to supersede the non-intervention committee in the task of isolating the Spanish conflict; and since the members of the committee and their supporters will be in a majority on the Council there is no ground for fearing that this will happen. In his note to the SecretaryGeneral of the League the Spanish Foreign Minister protests not merely against intervention by Italy and Germany but also against their recognition of General Franco’s administration, which is described as “an act of aggres- “ sion against the Spanish Republic which “ threatens to disturb international peace.” In the political sense, there is much justification for this charge; but it is possible that in recognising General Franco’s administration provisionally Italy and Germany are exercising rights which they possess under international law. If that is so. the League can hardly interfere. __________________