MOSTLY FAVOURABLE

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 14, 16 July 1937, Page 9

MOSTLY FAVOURABLE

PRESS OPINIONS

NON-INTERVENTION PLAN

MAY BE LAST CHANCE

MAKING POLICY EFFECTIVE

(British Official Wireless.) (Received July 16. 11.30 a.m.) RUGBY, July 15. A favourable reception is on the whole accorded by the Press to the British Government's proposals for closing the gaps in the Spanish control system and enabling the policy of non-intervention to be continued. "The Times" describes it as a workable plan. It appears to the average person to be something of a miscellany, says "The Times," but it ts absolutely inevitable in the circumstances. Each country is invited to give up some point or some points which it dearly cherished. All +he non-intervention States have now a chance of proving the sincerity of their professions and of applying further the most effective method of shortening the conflict, which is to withdraw their nationals from Spain and thus greatly to decrease the fighting power of either side. In no other way can the policy of non-intervention truly and honestly deserve its name. This may be the last chance of making it real and effective. A PKACTICAL BUFFER. The "Morning Post" says that whether the plan achieves its full purpose or not, it affords a practical buffer against a more dangerous clash of rivalries and antagonisms, and adds: "It would be rash to assume that this country will get any thanks for such disinterested labour." The "Daily Telegraph" says that the acceptance of international observers at posts and on land frontiers would be sufficient to prevent such reinforcements of either party in Spain, and would affect the course of the war. Everybody can see practical difficulties in withdrawing volunteers, even after a unanimous resolution in favour of that course, but control cannot be made dependent upon what may come after. It stands alone i/i importance. The "Manchester Guardian" describes the plan as an honest attempt to find a compromise between the wishes of the Powers without abandoning tho two basic principles of doing comparative justice to the Spanish Government and of insulating the civil war. It approves the measure of naval control that is proposed, and in regard to belligerent rights it says that the proposals correctly link that grant with the question of withdrawing foreign volunteers from Spain. I LABOUR PARTY VIEW. The "Daily Herald" says that as an essay in compromise the plan is ingenious, but the paper sees no evidence to suggest that a spirit of international co-operation will be forthcoming, anrl says that without it the scheme will fail. It adds that the Labour Party prefers to face frankly and at once the fact that non-intervention has failed and that it should be scrapped without further delay.

The "News Chronicle" pleads that the plan be given a fair chance, though it regards as remote the likelihood of its acceptance. Britain has made a valiant effort to get a real degree of non-intervention, but there should be a time limit for its various stages, otherwise the negotiations and fighting and intervention will drag on.

So far, comment from foreign capitals upon the plan has been somewhat non-committal but on the whole not unfavourable.

It is expected that most of the representatives at tomorrow's full*meeting of the Non-intervention Committee will be in a position to indicate on behalf of their Governments at least their preliminary observations upon the scheme.