ASSEMBLY ADJOURNS

Evening Star, Issue 22383, 6 July 1936, Page 9

ASSEMBLY ADJOURNS

DELEGATES TO CONSULT THEIR GOVERNMENTS 11 PRINCIPLES OF COVENANT STILL INTACT " Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, July 4. After a brief session the League Assembly adjourned at 6 p.m., M. Van Zeeland stating that several delegates wished to consult their Governments concerning the following resolution of the Assembly:— “If political circumstances have prevented the integral application of the Covenant, the principles of the Covenant remain intact. The Assembly will observe that experience of 16 years’ application of the Covenant necessitates special study of,the functions of the League. With a view to reinforcing its authority the Assembly invites members to submit observations with a view to study at the next session of the Assembly, and invites the Committee of Co-ordination to consider the situation regarding sanctions, and to recommend to Governments the attitude adoptable.”

It is believed that the Committee of Co-ordination will recommend a date between July 10 and July 15 for the abolition of sanctions.

The draft resolution was adopted by 44 votes to 1, Abyssinia alone-opposing it. South Africa, Chile, Panama, and Venezuela abstained from voting. Mexico did not attend. The Assembly by 23 votes to 1 rejected the Abyssinian request for a £10,000,000 loan. There were 25 abstentions.

The Bureau of thfe Assembly adopted a report stating that Abyssinia’s demand for recognition was covered generally by the draft resolution and also that Abyssinia’s request for a loan from the League had already been rejected. It is. understood that to-day’s adjournment was largely due to Haile Selassie’s desire for a final protest against the resolution. It is uncertain whether Haile Selassie or' Ras Nasibu will be the speaker at the annual meeting of the League on September 21. The Negus has advised the League Secretariat that all communications to the Ethiopian Government should be directed to the Legation in London. He has announced that in his absence the Government is established at Gore under Wolde Sadik, and added that lias Imru is reorganising the military forces of the empire. LAST DESPERATE APPEAL RESOLUTION WILL NOT SATISFY ETHIOPIA GENEVA, July 4. With only Ras Nasibu’s loudly ejaculated “ No ” as opposition the League Assembly adopted the resolution closing the Italo-Abyssinian affair. After listening to the last desperate Ethiopian appeal read on his behalf, Ras Nasibu demanded a straight “ yes ” or “ no ’’

on the Abyssinian plea that the League should not recognise the annexation of Abyssinia. He declared that the Ethiopian Government had repeatedly denounced the aggressors, who proposed the bargain that they would collaborate in European affairs if their ’ victim were abandoned to her fate. He reminded the Assembly of its position in the eyes of the world, and appealed for confirmation of the vote of last year condemning Italy as the aggressor. Ras Nasibu added that the proposed resolution would not satisfy Ethiopia. “ We know nothing of the subtleties of procedure,” he said, “ but we do demand that the Assembly give an unequivocal vote. As the Italians occupy only half of Abyssinia armies are assembling elsewhere to march against the invaders.”

The final text of the resolution was reached after many hours’ discussion. It recognised that various circumstances prevented the integral application of the Covenant to which the Assembly is firmly attached, as it was also to other declarations, including the South American States’ Declaration of 1932 excluding the settlement of territorial questions by foi’ce. Tho resolution added that the Assembly is persuaded of the necessity of increasing the efficacy and security of guarantees, and invites Governments to forward proposals with a view to perfecting within the above limits the application of the principles of the Covenant, on which the secretary will report to the Assembly next session. The resolution also proposed in view of the situation resulting in the Italo-Abyssinian conflict that a committee of co-ordination should make proposals necessary to end the measures adopted in the execution of Article 16. This is tantamount to dropping sanctions.

The Panama delegate declared that the resolutions were timid and not worth

referring to his Government. He added that a mountain of labour had brought forth a mouse. The Assembly then voted. M. Van Zeeland, closing the meeting, said the Assembly had passed through the narrowest and darkest passage in its history on the long journey towards world peace. He condoled with the delegates in their difficult and thankless task and paid tribute to the loyalty with which sanctions had been carried out. M. Van Zeeland added: “ We have no reason to reproach ourselves, but we must give attention to the future of the League, and we must continue.” The Assembly will meet on September 21. The Abyssinians departed with dejected looks and feelings. It is probably the last time they will attend the League. % The Co-ordination Committee will meet on Monday regarding the lifting of sanctions. FORCE AND THE LEAGUE LONDON, July 5. (Received July 6, at 9.35 a.m.) Mr Churchill, speaking, at Bristol, said that if the idea of force was excluded from the procedure of the League, it was nought but idle sham. FRANCE HELD RESPONSIBLE COLLAPSE OF LEAGUE’S FUNCTIONING. LONDON, July 5. (Received July 6, at 11 a.m.) Franc© alone is responsible for the collapse of the League’s functioning,” says the 1 Sunday Times.’ “Of the three great Powers represented at Geneva, Britain and Russia have never recoiled from any step to which the rest would agree On the contrary, while renouncing isolated action they were at all times favourable to the League adopting stronger and more effective measures It was France which blocked action—France, whose Government, for the sake of the Stressa Front against Germany, had in advance promised Signor Mussolini a free hand. Since then she has changed her Government. What is Franc© now prepared to undertake if the League is to resume functioning? The onus falls on her inescapably, and in the first instance on M. Blum.” THE NEXT ASSEMBLY SEPTEMBER 21 RECOMMENDED. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, July 4. (Received July 6, at 11.30 a.m.) The General Committee of the League Assembly recommends that the seventeenth session of the Assembly should be fixed for September 21, not September 7, so as to give additional time for the study of any new proposals.