ITALIAN PROPAGANDA

Greymouth Evening Star, 12 February 1936, Page 7

ITALIAN PROPAGANDA

SEEKING A SCAPEGOAT ANTIENGLISH ALLEGATIONS [by CABLE PRESS ASSN. COPYRIGHT.] (Rec. February 12, 11 a.m.) LONDON, February 11. Though only yesterday, Mr., Eden in the Commons, disclosed the official steps to refute the Italian broadcast story that most of Ras Desta’s troops in the battle on January 17, were commanded by British officers, messages from Rome indicate that the morning papers continue to make England the scapegoat, for the war, with the announcement, centred on the main pages, that “The Negus’ military adviser is an Englishman, Colonel Holt, and all the Abyssinians’ ammunition comes from England.” The worst feature of this baseless propaganda, which is described in London as ludicrous, lies in the fact that the announcement is placed alongside the largest list of casualties the Italians have yet published.

OBSERVER ONLY. RUGBY, February 11., Lieutenant Colonel H. B. Holt is the senior British Military Attache in Addis Ababa. Like the United States and French Military Attaches, he has in pursuit of his duties proceeded to Dessie, in order to keep in touch with the progress of events. There is not the slightest ground for the suggestion that he is advising the Emperor.

OIL SANCTIONS. RUGBY, February 10. A Geneva message states that the [rafting committee of experts studying oil Sanctions, expect to finish the (ask to-morrow, when a plenary meeting of the Sub-Committee will be held to discuss and adopt the final report, which, it is anticipated, will be transmitted to the Government . At Geneva, March 2 is mentioned as the possible date of the Assembly of the Committee of Eighteen to consider the report. GENEVA, February 11. The Oil Committee estimates Italy’s oil stocks sufficient for only 21 months. As America furnished only six per cent, of Italy’s imports in 1931/4, the committee considers that mere Restriction of United States supplies would suffice to enable the League to impose an effective embargo.