ACTIVITIES AT GENEVA

Evening Star, Issue 22379, 1 July 1936, Page 9

ACTIVITIES AT GENEVA

IMPORTANT LEAGUE ASSEMBLY A FAR AND WIDE FIELD ITALIAN AND GERMAN ISSUES Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, June 30. 'Mr Eden will preside at the Assembly until the president is elected. He will almost certainly be M. van Zeeland. (Belgium), as Mr Bruce is unlikely to stand owing to his duties as president of the Montreux Conference. To-day’s proceedings will be short and formal. The general discussion will begin tomorrow, when the Emperor is expected to speak.

M. Delbos (France) informed Dr Schuschnigg (Austria) that his presence at Geneva is desirable. Dr Schuschnigg is likely to seek the approval of Signor Mussolini before accepting the invitation. Signor Scoppa paid a round of visits to the various delegations explaining Italy’s memorandum. lias Nasibu, as counter propaganda, made similar calls, although the Abyssinians will not officially admit it.

The ‘ Daily Telegraph ’ understands that the Emperor has engaged Air Mollison to fly him to London at the termination of the Assembly.

Behind the scenes discussions are ranging over a far and wide field. M. Blum (France) suggested to Mr Eden that Britain should notify Germany’ that if she does not reply soon to the questionnaire, her answer will be useless. Mr Eden is believed personally to favour such a move and is becoming pessimistic about the hopes of reaching an understanding with Germany. The Locarno Powers will probably meet late in July to consider the situation.

The ‘ Morning Post’s ’ diplomatic correspondent says: “Mr Eden was most impressed with M. Blum’s realistic outlook. They agree that there should be no haste in opening direct negotiations with -Italy or in reforming the League. They consider that the next move in the German issue rests with Herr Hitler, though neither expects a satisfactory answer to the British questionnaire—possibly no answer at all.” M. VAN ZEELAND ELECTED PRESIDENT GENEVA, June 30. (Received July 1, at 11 a.m.) M. van Zeeland was elected President of the Assembly by 47 votes to 3, after which the Italian Note was handed to him. It expresses the con-

viction that the League requires reform. Italy is willing to co-operate in it and with the League work as soon as the present situation is cleared up.

ITALIAN PLANS MUSSOLINI’S DOCUMENT. GENEVA, June 29. Italy has sent a memorandum to the League blaming Abyssinia for the outbreak of the war and enumeratnig Italy’s civilising reforms. The ‘ Daily Telegraph’s ’ correspondent reports Signor Mussolini’s document at length and outlines Italy’s plans for reforming Abyssinia. It explains that the steps Italy is taking correspond with those taken by the mandatory Powers and expresses readiness to report periodically to the League, but emphasises that this will be done as a voluntary act and not as a duty. the ‘ Daily Herald’s ’ Geneva correspondent says: “ The memorandum appears to be purely a spontaneous gesture, but acually is an ingenious move intended to make the lifting of sanctions easier. Italy will not admit any right of control over Abyssinia by the League.” SELASSIE'S PRESENCE CLAIMS RIGHT TO SPEAK. GENEVA, June 29. Haile Selassie has sent a letter to the League reserving the right to attend the Assembly and defend the rights of Abyssinia. Signor Scoppa, the permanent Italian League delegate, reported that he warned Mr Eden, M. Delbos (France). M. Litvinoff, and others that Italy would “ react strongly ” if Haile Selassie were allowed to address the Assembly, but did not explain what form the reaction would take. According to the Geneva correspondent of ‘ The Times,’ Haile Selassie will speak on July 1. The * Daily Telegraph’s ’ Geneva correspondent says that Selassie will adopt an energetic line, urging the League to act fully up to its obligations.

ITALY JUSTIFIES HERSELF EMPEROR SELASSIE ADDRESSES ASSEMBLY (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, July 30. (Received July 1, at noon.) At the special session of the Assembly of the League the Italian memorandum was oread. It stated that the Italian Government had already shown the Council of the League the situation which existed in Abyssinia, and added that Italy was always willing to consider favourably all the League’s initiatives. The Hoare-Laval plan had failed through no fault of Italy, and after the appeal of the Committee of Thirteen on March 3 the Italian troops took no initiative in military operations during that month. The memorandum proceeds: “The need to bo raised to a more human standard of living is deeply felt and claimed by the Ethiopian population, which has given tangible proof of this by rising against the regime of tbo Negus and by welcoming the Italian troops as heroes and liberators of justice, civilisation, and order. Italyj,” it continues, “ views the work she has undertaken in Ethiopia as a sacred mission of civilisation, and proposes to carry it out according to the principles of the Covenant of the League and. other international documents, which set forth the duties and tasks of the civilising Powers. Italy assures equitable treatment to native populations by promoting their moral and material wellbeing, that natives shall not be compelled to undertake other military duties than local policing and territorial defence. Measures will be taken to guarantee the freedom of all countries. Italy will consider it an honour to inform the League of tho progress achieved in her work of civilising Ethiopia.” In conclusion the memorandum says: “ The Italian Government, cannot but recall the abnormal situation in which Italy has been placed and the necessity for the immediate removal of such obstacles as have been and are in the way of that international co-operation which Italy sincerely seeks and to which she is prepared to give a tangible contribution for the sake and maintenance of peace,” The discussion was opened by the Argentine delegate, who was followed by the Negus speaking in Amharic. He said there was no example of the chief of a State coming to the floor of the Assembly, but never before had the League had an example of a nation being threatened with being erased from the map by the most barbarian methods of warfare yet known. It had been purely and simply a war of conquest which was forbidden by tho Covenant and by civilisation. It was for that reason that he came to Geneva to defend the independence of his people. He felt it his duty as Emperor to discharge this supreme duty after having himself fought at the head of the army. UNRULY PRESSMEN TWELVE ITALIANS EJECTED GENEVA, June 30. (Received July 1, at 10.30 a.m.) A large cheering crowd watched the arrival of Selassie at the meeting of the Assembly. The bureau had.earlier decided that the Emperor had every right to address the League. Mr de Valera said the question could not even be discussed, but the Swiss and Hungarian representatives raised objections. Selassie tried to make himself as inconspicuous as possible as he slipped into the hall while Mr Eden was reading a letter from Dr Benes resigning from the presidency of the Assembly. The Emperor sat jn the place reserved for the Abyssinian delegates, the official list of which included 11 from Abyssinia headed by “ His Majesty the Emperor Haile Selassie I.” The public and Press galleries were crowded, and a battery of film cameras faced the president’s rostrum. This is the first time any sovereign participated in a League session. The Emperor listened attentively as Mr Eden praised Dr Benes’s work find asked the Assembly to telegraph its thanks to the Czech president.

When, the Negus' ascended the tribune whistling and shouts of “ Viva Mussolini!” broke out, but were drowned by cheering from the delegates. The session was suspended in a hubbub while officials searched for the interrupters. They discovered a group of a dozen Italian journalists whom the police seized, bundled into taxicabs, and took to the police station. Selassie, unperturbed, stood calmly on the tribune, bis eye fixed on the delegates, awaiting silence. ITALY'S CONQUEST WILL BE HELD BY AVIATION. PARIS, June 30. “ Abyssinia wiJI be held by aviation,” said General Valle, Italian Un-der-Secretary for Air, in an interview with ‘Le Journal.’ “ There will be eight aerodromes 125 miles apart and 300 aeroplanes, 200 of which have arrived. One hundred fast transport machines are being built capable of transporting 2,500 men and one ton and a-half of material a day in the case of an insurrection.” MANDATE PROPOSAL REJECTED GENEVA, June 30. (Received July 1, at 10.30 a.m.) The League Committee is reported to have rejected the Italian proposal that the League should recognise a voluntary Italian mandate over Abyssinia.

A WILD SCENE PROMINENT ITALIAN JOURNALISTS IMPLICATED SEVERAL ARRESTED GENEVA, June 30. (Received July 1, at 2 p.m.) An extraordinary scene, unparalleled in the history of the League of Nations, occurred when the Negus ascended the rostrum. The delegates were astounded to hear an outburst of whistling and booing from the galleries and the cry “ Down with the assassin.” This was replied to by cheering the Emperor.

M. Titulescu shouted: “ Stop that horseplay.” Meantime Selassie stood, a calm, dignified, and immobile figure amid the tumult, the president vainly ringing the bell, while police searched for the offenders and fastened upon a group of seven or eight Italian journalists, who, after brief scuffles, were bundled from the building to taxicabs, amid boos from other journalists, and cries of 44 Down with Fascists.” Among those taken to the police station were Signor Alfredo Signoretti, director of one of Italy’s biggest newspapers, ‘ Stampa,’ Turin; Signor Guido Caprin, chief correspondent of the ‘ Corriere Della Sera ’; Signor Caiani, president of the syndicate of Fascist journals; and Signor Angelli, of the Lavora Fascista.

A Spanish journalist taken by mistake was speedily released, the others late to-night were still detained. Swiss officials state that under the Swiss law insult or injury to a visiting head of State is punishable by six months’ imprisonment. It is regarded as certain that the culprits’ League cards will be confiscated. The Executive Committee of the International Association of Journalists accredited to tho League has passed a resolution condemning tho action of tho Italians and apologising on behalf of tho Press to the Emperor and M. Van Zeeland.

Everybody is wondering how Signor Mussolini will react to the incident. The Italian Press is left without its own reports of the proceedings. It is being asked whether the apparently organised demonstration portends Italy’s withdrawal from the League. It is thought that men of such repute would not act on impulse, and must have been told what to do from Rome. Some were roughly handled. One was floored by an usher who is a lightweight champion. A TERRIBLE PRECEDENT " (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, June 30. (Received July 1, at 12.30 p.m.) Reviewing the course of the war, the Emperor said it was after Makale that the Italians, faced by defeat, decided to use all forbidden methods of warware. Referring to the treaty with Italy in 1928, he said, despite its provisions prohibiting recourse to war and providing for arbitration and conciliation, Italy never ceased to prepare for conquest of Abyssinia. The treaties of friendship, he added, served merely to conceal Italy’s true aims. Re recalled the decisions taken by the Council and the Assembly which ended in declaring that Italy had violated the Covenant and was the aggressor. It was true that Ethiopia was incapable of defending herself without armaments, aircraft, or outside help. Her fate might be the fate of any other small nation, even a European country. There had, he said, been no real attempt to stop the aggressor, and the raising of sanctions meant the abandonment of Ethiopia to the aggressor. Were States going to create a terrible precedent of bowing before force? he asked._ BALKAN AND LITTLE ENTENTES ANNEXATION OF ABYSSINIA NOT RECOGNISED. GENEVA, June 80, (Received July 1, at 11 a.m.) The Balkan and Little Ententes’ meeting, lasting till the early hours of the morning, decided l not to recognise the annexation of Abyssinia, though it agreed to the dropping of sanctions. Its attitude regarding reform of the Covenant is to agree to modification; only in the direction of strengthening it.