PORTUGUESE NOTE

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 99, 23 October 1936, Page 9

PORTUGUESE NOTE

REPLY TO ALLEGATIONS

NOT RECEIVED YET

(British Official Wireless.)

(Received October 23, 11.50 a.m.)

RUGBY, October 22.

It is understod that the Note from the Portuguese' Government-- containing its explanations in respect of allegations of breaches of agreement regarding non-intervention in Spain forwarded to it under the rules of procedure of the international committee is on its way to the chairman of the committee, Lord Plymouth. Whether it will be received in time for the meeting of the committee summoned for tomorrow afterrio'on is not known.

Similar complaints were communicated at the same time to the German and Italian Governments, and the German observations have been in the possession of the chairman since yesterday, but so far no reply has been received from the Italian Government. There has been no change in the desire of the British Government to see the agreement for non-intervention maintained, and the international committee for the application of the agreement is working smoothly. It is appreciated in British circles that if the committee is to retain the confidence of public opinion it must discharge its task with unmistakable efficiency, determination, and dispassionateness. It would militate^ against the success of the committee if members imported into its proceedings considerations of amour-propre quite inappropriate to its function as a factfinding body. There is no reason at all why invidious implications should attach to the investigations which the committee is bound to undertake under the rules of procedure which it has itself adopted.

ment in this matter is that if any member of the committee has complaints to bring forward of infractions on its part of the agreement, it will not think to take offence at the operation of the committee's procedure, and will readily co-operate, according to the rules adopted, "to establish the facts."