“AKIN TO MILITARY INVASION”

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

“AKIN TO MILITARY INVASION”

Soviet Charges Italy MOST FLAGRANT CASE Troops Landed in Spain (British Official Wireless.) Kugby, March 24. At the meeting of the Non-Inter-vention in Spain Committee to-day, the Soviet representative, M. Ivan Maisky, Ambassador to London, made an attempt to call attention to the "everincreasing military intervention in Spanish affairs on the part of the Italian Government.” The statement added that according to the Soviet Government’s most reliable information the number of Italians in Spain iu the middle of February was not less than 60.000, and it had reasons for believing that the number had since been considerably increased. The so-called Italian volunteers. M. Maisky proceeded, arrived in military formations under the command of Italian officers and generals, and were well supplied with munitions of Italian make. The formations, at least in considerable part, were drawn from the regular Italian army. “All these facts justify us. in regarding the action of the Italian Government as one of the most flagrant cases of foreign intervention ever known in history,” he said, “and in fact, taking into account the magnitude of the forces employed, it is something akin to an Italian military invasion of a foreign country. It is a flagrant case of military aggression against a foreign country as understood by international law and the Covenant of the League.” Special Commission Urged. The Soviet Government proposed asking the Non-Intervention Committee forthwith to investigate the validity of the allegations contained in the note of the Spanish Government of March 13. and for this purpose to set up and to send immediately to. Spain a special commission of investigation which would have as its task the investigation of all allegations of the landing after February 20 of so-called Italian volunteers in Spain as well as the landing of war materials and munitions for the rebel leader. General Franco, from Italian and other sources: the investigation of all allegations concerning participation of the regular Italian army in the military operations against the Spanish Government : and to report to the NonIntervention Committee. The chairman, Lord Plymouth, pointed out that the question thus raised was not on the agenda, and no previous notice had been given to him. Tile Italian representative. Count Grandi. said that the provocative statement by the representative of Communist Russia would have from the Fascist Government of Italy the answer it deserved.

“Amazing Hypocrisy.”

The German representative. Herr von Ribbentrop, described it as an amazing statement of hypocrisy. The French representative suggested, and the chairman agreed, that it should lie referred to the chairman’s subcommittee.

The Portuguese representative said that on a previous occasion the Soviet Government had brought forward unfounded charges. The continuation of such procedure was highly dangerous to the work of the committee and to the peace of the world. M. Maisky claimed that the. rules of procedure permitted the raising of any question relating to breaches of the agreement if there was reason for believing such breaches had occurred. Herr von Ribbentrop agreed that the question should be discussed in the sub-committee. He was anxious to prevent the present committee being turned into a propaganda committee, and feared that within a few hours a statement would be in the Press of the world for propaganda purposes. Germany held that Communism was the sole force responsible for all the present trouble in Spain. “Misused for Propaganda.” He raised the question whether the work of the committee should be treated as confidential, and added that the substance of yesterday’s discussion at the sub-committee had been given to the Press in an inaccurate form, even before the meeting was finished. He asked for guarantees that the work of file committee should not be misused for propaganda purposes or for unfounded accusations. Otherwise each should be free to give information to the Press. Herr von Ribbentrop reserved the position of his Government on the insinuations against the Italian Government. Lord Plymouth said lie considered that the question raised by the Soviet Government should be referred to the chairman’s sub-committee with the widest discretion as to the manner in which the question should be treated, including the question whether the proposals could be discussed in their present form. Tic recalled that it had been agreed on many occasions that nil the proceedings of the committee and the sub-committee should be treated as strictly confidential.