PEACE SEEKERS’ CONVERSATIONS

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 April 1936, Page 7

PEACE SEEKERS’ CONVERSATIONS

WHAT ITALY ASKS SANCTIONS MUST GO [by CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.] LONDON, April 16. At Geneva, the strictest secrecy is being observed regarding Senor Madriaga’s meeting last night with Baron Aloisi. The meeting lasted for forty minutes. It occurred in the presence of M. Avenol (Secretary-General of the League). They are meeting again this morning. It is reported unofficially that Baron Aloisi demanded as the price for Signor Mussolini entering into peace negotiations, the following: Abyssinian disarmament; the raising of the Sanctions; and the withdrawal of the British naval reinforcements from the Mediterranean Sea. . According to the “Daily Mail’s Rome correspondent, Baron Aloisi is not empowered to make any proposals or- enter on any bargain with ■ the League. His mission, it was stated, is essentially to act as Signor Mussolini’s ear, and to report back to Rome what Senor Madriaga proposes, after which it was added, Signor Mussolini may decide to make some counter proposals, probably ones including the raising of the Sanctions, which, Italy maintains, should precede any peace negotiations.

IMPOSSIBLE OFFER. (Received April 17, 11.30 a.m.) GENEVA, April 16. Senor Madariaga, M. Avenol, Baron Aloisi and Signor Rocco conferred for half an hour. It is understood that Baron Aloisi suggested to Senor Madariaga that the Abyssinians should approach Marshall Badoglio and ask for immediate peace, after which Italy would be ready for general negotiations at Ouchy, instead of Geneva. Baron Aloisi is reported to have intimated that Italy would loyally support the League in future, if it accepted this procedure, but League circles consider it impossible.

MR. EDEN’S CALLERS. [BRITISH OFFICIAL WIRELESS.] RUGBY, April 16. The meeting of the Sanctions Committee of IS of the League, has been provisionally arranged for to-morrow, but wehther it will bo called together depends on the course of proceedings at the Conciliation Committee meeting. Shortly after their arrival at Geneva, Mr. Eden and M. Boncour were in contact with members of other delegations. Mr. Eden received the Abyssinian representative, Wolde Mariam, at th© hotel and was in conversation with him for a considerable time. Later, Mr. Eden had a talk with M. Vasconvellos, Chairman .of the Committee of 18, who later called on M. Boncour.

The League Committee of 13 met in secret at Geneva this evening, and after a session of two hours adjourned till to-morrow afternoon. Earlier today, Senor Madariaga had been in negotiation with the Ethiopian and Italian representatives regarding, the opening of peace negotiations, whjch both Italy and Ethiopia accepted in principle. Nothing autohitative is known of the outcome of these conversations, but a communique, issued tonight, states that the Committee o! Thirteen received a report upon them from Senor Madariaga. The communique adds: It was decided that it would be advantageous to inform the Ethiopian representative of the result of the second conversation which Senor Madariaga and the SecretaryGeneral (Mr. Avenol) had with Baron Aloisi during the afternoon .

ABYSSINIA’S REJECTION (Recd. April 17, 3 p.m.) GENEVA, April 16. As expected, Abyssinia categorically rejected the Italian conditions for peace negotiations, and notified the Committee of Thirteen that the Council would be asked to establish Italy’s non-acceptance of negotiations within the framework of the League; also to apply against the aggressor the Sanctions provided under Article Sixteen. Subsequently, Italy modified her attitude, to the extent of agreeing, while maintaining the main points, to negotiate with the League’s assistance, but would not agree to an armistice during the currency of the negotiations. The Committee of Thirteen, possibly after questioning Rome to secure an elucidation has failed, in which event the Committee of Eighteen will be convened in order to discuss furthei Sanctions.

ABYSSINIAN VICTORY. (Received April 17, 3 p.m.) ADDIS ABABA, April 16. The Abyssinians, as the result of a surprise attack, claim to have routed an Italian mechanised column advancing from Negelli, killing 320 Italians and nineteen Askaris, and captuiing six lorries loaded with munitions, and twelve machine-guns. The Abyssinian losses were seventeen dead. The Emperor decorated the victorious officers. It is still asserted that the Abyssinian northern armies form an appreciable menace to the Italian rear-guard, which might be cut off from the spearhead of the Italian advance.

RELIEF FUND APPEAL. [BRITISH OFFICIAL WIRELESS] RUGBY, April 16. An appeal appears in the Press signed bv the Duchess of Hamilton, as chairman of the Abyssinian Relief Committee, for funds for the purchase of gasmasks, anti-gas medicants, and hospital equipment generally, for despatch to Abyssinia. The large sums already subscribed by the British public, as well as in other countries, for ambulance work in Abyssinia, had less than‘the hoped for result, owing to large-scale destruction of stores and equipment in the Italian bombing raids. Urgent representations have been received by the British societies from Abyssinia, as to the need for further and immediate help, in face of the appalling suffering resulting from the intensification of gas warfare ‘by the Italian forces.

SANCTIONS EFFECT. [BRITISH OFFICIAL WIRELESS.] RUGBY, April 16. The impression of. the potential strength of concerted economic action against aggression, created by the figures published at Geneva yesterday, showing the first effects of League Sanctions on trade with Italy, has increased now that there has been an opportunity to study the ‘report of the experts, in detail, and the argument is now heard that critics of League Powers, who in recent months have declared the measures so far taken to enforce the Covenant, are ineffective, will be compelled to recant. The incomplete returns for February are most significant, for they indicate the acceleration of the fall-off in trade as an influence of exemptions allowed to goods in transit wanes. This cumulative effect, it is pointed out in the Press, is bound to grow so long as the existing Sanctions are maintained, while the temporary relief obtained by a Covenant-breaking State by means of inflated trade in anticipation of Sanctions and before they camo into force, must soon be exhausted.