ANGLO-FRENCH DECISION

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 155, 29 December 1936, Page 7

ANGLO-FRENCH DECISION

MADE ON CHRISTMAS EVE

FEAR OF DANGER TO PEACE

(British Official Wireless.) I (Received December 29, 11.50 a.m.) RUGBY. December 28. The growing concern of the British Government at the increasing number of foreigners entering Spain to take service in the contending armies is reflected in measures taken yesterday in Berlin, Rome, Lisbon, and Moscow urging that the Governments in each of those four capitals should immediately institute the necessary legislation or other measures to prevent their nationals leaving their territory - for service in Spain.

The decision to take this step was reached on Christmas Eve after consultation with the French Government, whose representatives in the four countries concerned took similar action.

The importance of effecting an agreed prohibition of enlistment of foreign nationals has been emphasised at recent meetings of the Non-intervention Committee/and at last Wednesday's meeting Lord Plymouth, the chairman, appealed for immediate action. The Committee, however, contented itself with the appointment of a technical sub-committee, and this measure was regarded both in Paris and in London as inadequate in view of the danger which indirect intervention represented to the peace of Europe. The consultations which followed between the . French and British Governments on Thursday resulted in concerted instructions being sent urgently to the representatives in the four capitals, to which the Anglo-French non-interven-tion and mediation proposals had been addressed earlier in the month.