TAKEN AS DEAD

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 69, 14 December 1935, Page 11

TAKEN AS DEAD

Peace Plan Killed By Public Opinion WAS BOUND TO FAIL Laval Will Be Chief Mourner By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. (Received December 13, 9.5 p.m.) London, December 13. The “News Chronicle” expresses the opinion that Government circles regard the peace proposals as dead, and they will be interred when the League Council meets on Wednesday. It adds: “Mr. Eden’s speech at Geneva is tantamount to an invitation to the League to condemn the plan. M. Laval will be the chief mourner for the ‘illegitimate child.’ as the peace plan is nicknamed.” “The Times” says: “Neither good sense nor good faith requires that the British Government shall stand upon terms which should never have been put forward and which are now bound to fail, but both demand that they shall accept the League’s decision, and with it the plain verdict of British public opinion. The Government’s duty now. as before, is to help to the utmost in proving that aggression does not pay and to maintain the League’s full rights and means of action to that end. The present proposals cannot possibly be reconciled with the obligations of the Covenant. They were bound to fall, and have, in fact, failed already. Any fresh peace efforts will have to be guided by this week’s experience, especially by the determined manifestation of public feeling, which will long make it memorable.” While admitting that the proposals are not yet known, “The Times” emphasises the general opposition, including that of the Dominions, to them and points out that the basis of discussion sketched out fails to satisfy two of Britain’s essential points—namely its acceptability to Abyssinia and to the I,eague. The Rome correspondent of The Times” says: "According to the spokesman for Signor Mussolini, his coadjutors are studying the proposals with ‘requisite benevolence,’ but may ask for explanations. In any ease, exaggerated optimism is misplaced.” WHY HOARE YIELDED TO LAVAL Fear of Oil Sanctions (Received December 13, 11.40 p.m.) London, December 13. The political correspondent of the “Manchester Guardian” says that M. Laval virtually presented an ultimatum to Sir Samuel Hpare that France would have nothing to do with oil sanctions. He was convinced that they would drive Signor Mussolini to desperation and might even provoke an Italian attack on the British fleet. He did not withdraw his promise of French support in the event of such an attack, but emphasised technical difficulties preventing swift French aid. Therefore Sir Samuel Hoare collaborated in producing settlement proposals satisfying not* Hie League but Signor Mussolini. OPPOSITION GROWS Benefits For Aggressor London, December 12. The opposition to the Hoare-Laval peace proposals continues to spread. Lord Davies will move in the House of Lords on December 18 a motion analogous to that sponsored by the four Conservatives and two Liberals, cabled earlier, which seven more members of the House of Commons are now supporting. Sir Herbert Samuel strongly criticised the Government’s treatment of the position. In Paris opposition to the proposal is developing. In the Chamber of Deputies, M. Cot, a former Minister, tabled an interpellation to the Government’s policy which condemns giving to Italy what she is incapable of obtaining by conquest, and also offering Abyssinia a. harbour which will damage Djibouti’s trade and French economic interests. M. Blum and two Socialists tabled an interpellation contending that M. Laval is aiming at paralysing sanctions; moreover, substituting for them territorial benefits for au aggressor. M. Heriot is reported to be disgusted with the proposals.