COERCIVE MEASURES POSSIBLE

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 154, 27 March 1937, Page 9

COERCIVE MEASURES POSSIBLE

France May Appeal to League Following Italian Action in Spain

MENACE TO HER AFRICAN INTERESTS

“A Pack of Communist Lies,” Replies Rome to Soviet Allegations By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. (Received March 26, 6.30 p.m.) London, March 25. The Paris correspondent of the British United Press says that the Minister of Foreign Affairs, M. Yvon Delbos, informed the British and German Ambassadors that if more Italian troops were sent to Spain France might have to appeal to the League of Nations for coercive measures against Italy. These would, in the first instance, be naval. M. Delbos declared that the continued sending of Italian troops to Spain would be interpreted as expressing the Italian desire to install itself in Spain, thus menacing French communications with North Africa, which France would not permit. It was pointed out that Germany had sent no volunteers to Spain since January. France would, therefore, be happy if Herr Hitler would intercede with Signor Mussolini to pre ent the dispatch of further Italians.

FRANCE AND BRITAIN Action Follows Report of London Attitude (Received March 26. 6.30 p.m.) ” London, March 25. France has warned both Italy and Germany that she will not tolerate the sending of further so-cailled foreign volunteers to Spain, says the Paris correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph.” The French action followed reports from M. Charles Corbin, French Ambassador to London, of the position take up by the British Government and as a direct outcome of Count Grandi’s statement on Tuesday. The Paris correspondent of the “Morning Post” says the French Government does not conceal its fear that Count Grandi’s blunt identification of Italian national policy with the presence of Italian volunteers in Spain threatens to undo all the long and patient efforts to prevent the Spanish war from developing into an international conflagration.

ITALIANS DENOUNCED

Fascist State (Received March 26. 6.30 p.m.) London, March 25. Speaking in the House of Commons on the motion for the adjournment, Mr. Arthur Henderson (Labour, Kingswinfond) denounced the Italian intervention in Spain and demanded a Commission of Inquiry. Mr. D. Lloyd George (Independent Liberal, Caernarvon) declared that the Italian army had invaded Spain and was fighting under the Duce’s orders, not General Franco’s. If the Italians conquered Spain the country would be a Fascist State. Italy would dominate the Mediterranean, he said. Replying to the debate, the Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Viscount Cranborne, said he did not believe the report that Signor Mussolini was organising two further divisions to fight in Spain. He pointed out that the reference of Italian non-intervention to the League was a matter for the Spanish Government. DIFFERENT VERSION What French Minister Said to British Envoy (Received Starch 26, 7.30 p.m.) London, March 25. The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Anthony Eden, was not present in the House of Commons to reply to Air. Lloyd George’s provocative speech, which aroused some uneasiness at the Foreign Office. The Under-Secretary, Viscount Crarvbourne, was present on behalf of the Government. He said he was not briefed to answer Air. Lloyd George, whose attack is not expected to improve Anglo-Italian relations. Meanwhile the non-intervention control scheme, intended to come into operation at the week-end, has again been postponed for a week while the technical committees sit in London through Easter. Some accounts of what the French Alinister of Foreign Affairs, M. Yvon Delbos, told Sir George Clerk, British Ambassador in Paris, misrepresent the facts.

The Associated Press Agency’s political correspondent is informed that M. Delbos declared:

“If the Italians break their word and send more troops to Spain a most serious position will arise which each Government will have to consider.” M. Delbos did not suggest League intervention. Moreover, he did not propose a naval blockade of the Spanish coast.

British opinion is that it is hopeless to invoke the League, which in its present weakness would not bear the burden. As neither Italy nor Germany are active members Britain does not contemplate any step at the moment, apart from giving the control scheme a trial. ANGLO-IRISH BATTALION (Received March 26, 6.30 p.m.) London, March 25. A hundred members of the AngloIrish battalion were killed in fighting near Madrid recently.

’ SAVAGE COMMENT Italy Will Refuse to Bow to League (Received March 26. 6.30 p.m.) Rome, March 25. “A pack of Communist lies,” was the sav.age comment of the official spokesman regarding allegations of Italy’s violation of the Non-Intervention Agreement. “If France appeals to the League it will precipitate a. serious crisis, as Italy will refuse to participate in the discussions or to bow to any decision reached at Geneva,” he said. “MORAL MONSTROSITY” Spain Has No Confidence in Fascist Powers (Received March 26, 7.30 p.m.) Valencia, March 25. The Spanish Government is dispatching a Note to Britain denouncing one-sided intervention. It states “It is a moral and legal monstrosity to assume that any confidence can be placed in the promises of the Totalitarian Powers, which since the outbreak of the civil war, have been giving armed assistance to the rebels.” It further declares that Italy, as the aggressor, should be disqualified from representation on the Non-Intervention Committee.

Mr. Lloyd George Fears

DIFFICULTY OVERCOME

Scheme Expected to Operate in Fortnight (British Ofllclal Wireless.) (Received March 26, 6.30 p.m.) Rugby, March 25. Recent ditliculties in the Non-Inter-vention Committee concerning the putting of the supervision scheme into operation have now been surmounted and will have delayed the application of the full scheme for a few days only. It is confidently believed the scheme in all its branches will be in operation within a fortnight’s time. With reference to the statement made by the Italian representative at the meeting of the chairman’s subcommittee that he was not in a position to enter upon a discussion of the problem of the possibility of effecting a withdrawal from Spain of persons of non-Spanish nationality engaged in the conflict, it is pointed out that this question has all along been recognised as one presenting considerable difficulty. The Italian attitude had, however, no bearing whatever on what had been accomplished and there has been no retraction of any kind on Italy’s part in regard to the general non-in-tervention scheme or of her attitude toward the principles underlying it. STRIKING CONTRAST Holy Week and War Madrid, March 24. While Seville is observing Holy Week with processions of barefoot penitents ana with reverent religious services, warfare is continuing bitterly on the Madrid front. Clear spring weather brought out the warplanes. Thirty-five or 40 insurgent planes, taking advantage of the absence of 70 Government planes which were raiding the front lines, bombed Guadalajara. Many civilians who were sheltering in cellars were wounded or crushed by falling masonry. It is estimated that there are over a hundred dead. Valencia was also raided before antiaircraft guns drove off the raiders. FOREIGN SECURITIES General Franco’s Decree (Received March 26, 6.30 p.m.) London, March 25. A message from Salamanca states that the rebel leader in Spain, General Franco, has decreed that all foreign currency, bullion, and securities owned by Spaniards in Spanish banks must be ceded to the Nationalist Government in exchange for pesetas, and that invaders are liable to loss of nationality, imprisonment and fines.