SANCTIONS WITHDRAWAL

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 June 1936, Page 7

SANCTIONS WITHDRAWAL

i BRITISH CABINET’S CONDITION ITALY TO RECIPROCATE [BY CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.] LONDON, June 17. “The Times’s” political correspondent says: It is expected that the Cabinet will make the withdrawal of the Sanctions conditional on there being no discrimination by Italy as against trading with those countries which imposed Ihe Sanctions on her. “The ’rimes" Rome correspondent says: It may be noted that nothing is being said about Italy’s removal of her own counter-Sanctions. It is less

than a month ago that the directorate of the Fascist Party declared foi’ the permanent and irrevocable exclusion of the products of the Sanctionist countries. In the meantime, it is admitted that Italy has been conducting commercial negotiations with a number of countries, including Germany. Italy, obviously, is seeking to bend the Sanctionist countries by dangling before their eyes the re-wards which she is now preparing to bestow upon the non-Sanctionist countries. The Rome correspondent of the “Daily Mail” says: The British Cabinet’s reported intention to abolish the Sanctions -was received with satisfaction, but there is no surprise, for it had been considered inevitable since Mi-. N. Chamberlain’s speech.

“ERROR COMMITTED.” (Recd. June 18, 2.30 p.m.) LONDON, June 17. “The Times’s” Rome correspondent says: It is authoritatively declared that Italy will regard raising the Sanctions as sufficient to enable her to resume European collaboration. It would be considered proof of the recognition that an error had been committed. This statement was made on the score of alleged erroneous interpretations of Italy’s attitude, by correspondent. It is impossible to obtain a definite assurance that the lifting of Sanctions would be followed by the immediate lifting of Italian counterSanctions. On the contrary though it is admitted the raising of the Sanctions by the Powers would introduce a new spirit into the situation, it was made clear that Italy intends to pursue the policy of economic self-suffi-ciency on which she has embarked.

ITALIAN-GERMAN TRADE. (Recd. June 18", 10.30 a.m.) ROME, June 17. It is officially confirmed that trade negotiations have been opened with Germany. COMMONS DEBATE. [BRITISH OFFICIAL WIRELESS.] RUGBY, June 17. Great interest has been aroused,, both at Home and abroad, in the Commons’ debate on foreign affairs. Mr Eden’s speech will not be confined exclusively to the Sanctions questions, and it is expected he will refer also to the delay of the German Government in replying to -the recent British questionnaire. About three and a-half hours will be devoted to the

debate, but further opportunity of discussing the international situation will arise next week, and several prominent members of Parliament will reserve their speeches for that occasion.

Selassie visited the Commons, where he was entertained at dinner by a number of members of Parliament. The function was strictly private.

MR. EDEN’S STATEMENT. • LONDON, June 17. The “Mail’s”’ political correspondent says: Mr. Eden, before the Cabinet, told Mr. Baldwin he did not intend to resign. Mr. Eden read to the Cabinet the statement he is making to-morrow, which is on the lines of Mr. Chamberlain’s speech on June 10. He admits the failure of Sanctions to end ’the war, and for that reason, there is no wisdom in continuing them. Cabinet made several alterations to the manuscript. LABOUR SUPPORTS SANCTIONS LONDON, June 17. A meeting of Commoners and others, held at the Commons, including Labour members and publicists, passed resolutions in favour of the maintenance of Sanctions until Italy is ready to agree to a settlement of the Abyssinian question, acceptable to the League and in conformity with the Covenant. ABYSSINIAN REQUESTS. (Recd. Juno 18, 2 p.m.) LONDON, June 17.

Tn a letter to “The Times,” M. Martin sets out the views of the Abyssinian Government.

Firstly, they request the League, that least a majority of members should, in accordance with the obligations of the Covenant, take strong effective action collectively to support the independence of Ethiopia, and should refuse recognition of the Italian annexation by aggression, but if the League does not. find itself strong enough to make the aggressor evacuate Ethiopia, the next best thing is to give the Ethiopian Government a loan sufficient to enable Abyssinia to fight her own battle against the aggressor. This will confine the trouble to two parties.

“if neither of these solutions is acce’ptable, and the extinction of Ethiopia is allowed, all I can say is that the prestige of the present members of the League of Nations will also go down in history to the lowest level.” S. AFRICAN DETERMINATION. CAPE TOWN, June 16. General Hertzog. in a speech in the Assembly, reaffirmed the Union Government’s adherence to Sanctions. He said: “We have no right to be unfaithful to the League merely because the others are not going to be true to it. If the others are not prepared to face the possible outcome of continuing the Sanctions, that does not affect South Africa, which intends to support the League to the last. If the League collapses, South Africa will, at least, have the satisfaction of knowing that she is not among the countries that

I are running away from ’their duty to jlhe League. It is iho duty of all (League members to meet their obligailions, and to show they are prepared 1 to do so, no matter what the cost may be. There sliould be no retreat, even if Italy, declass war. (f the League fails, it for the’'sole reason that the nations which should have fulfilled their obligations had not the moral courage and the moral strength to make the necessary sacrifices. If the League fails, as., it must fail, if the Sanctions are now'abandoned, then nothing will'- prevent. another world war within 20 years.”

SWISS OPINION. BERNE, June 17. M. Motta,. the Premier, in the Upper House, stated that the Government of Switzerland is of the opinion that the Sanctions should be-raised. DEFENCE OF MALTA. [BRITISH OFFICIAL WIRELESS.] RUGBY, June 17. Invited in the Commons at question time to make a statement regarding the future of the British naval base at Malta, Sir S. Hoare said: “I am glad of the opportunity of contradicting the rumours which have received some publicity that Malta is to be abandoned as a naval base. The Board of Admiralty have no intention of discontinuing the use of Malta as the principal naval base in the Mediterranean, and the headquarters of the Mediterranean fleet.”

To a supplementary question as to the security of the base, Sir S. Hoare replied: “I would never say I was fully satisfied with any defence position, but I would state categorically that as we have no intention whatever of evacuating Malta, we shall certainly take every practicable means to make its defence adequate for a possible attack.” > “RECOGNITION” ISSUE. (Recd. June 18, 11 a.m.) ROME, June 17. It is reported that Signor Suvich is being appointed as Ambassador at Washington.

This and other Ambassadorial changes pending, will raise the question of recognition of the conquest of Abyssinia, as the new Ambassadors are certain to present their credentials as coming from the King of Italy and Emperor of Abyssinia.-- •.

COLONISATION SCHEMES. ROME. June 17. The Ministry for the Colonies has decided to proceed with the national colonisation of Abyssinia, through authorised bodtfeffl' - It is proposed to make free grants mf small areas of land to Italian peasants, in order that they may share in farming witji the Abyssinian natives, wllei'e whites cannot stand the climate. It ha§ also been decided to undertake the industrial'colonisation of the country, and to have licensed public works. The Ministry for the Colonies will undertake a two year plan of road building at the rate of three miles of road’ per day, totalling 2300 miles of roads. These works will be employing 125,000 men, half of whom will be Italians. The? cost of the roads will be £25.000.000. NEW ZEALAND’S ATTITUDE.

WELLINGTON, June 18. “The Government is not yet in a position to make a definite statement as to its policy respecting/ihe lifting of Sanctions against Italy,” said Mr. Savage, when his attention was drawn to a London message suggesting that all the Dominions, except South Africa, favoured the dropping of Sanctions. “We are in daily communication with the British Government on the question.” said Mr. Savage, “and the whole matter is receiving close and serious attention. However, I am not in a position to make a statement on our attitude, and nothing can be said until wo have received a reply from the British authorities to our latest communication.” i