GRAVE CONCERN

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 12598, 6 July 1935, Page 5

GRAVE CONCERN

BRITAIN'S VIEW OE‘ ABYSSINIAN DISPUTE ;

OFFER: OF TERRITORY EXPLAINED

COMMONS WOULD HAVE BEEN CONSULTED

SECRECY IMPORTANT IN EARLY STAGES

(British Official Wireless A

RUGBY, July 5

A sor'es of -questions. wart Addressed to Mr Malhdlm .AlacDonnld and Mr Anthony Eden 'regarding the tentative- offer iron), the British -Governmentoonditioballlv to, eecte Abyssinia a strip of, Bnti-sh Somaliland in order to. laeiiitato a poa-celul settlement -of the •Ttalo-Abyss’nian di«p .Mr MacDonald explained that it was contemplated that the .port of Zcila. might, .subject to certain conditions,. be ceded to Abyssinia;, together with a corridor of territory, roughly 50 miles long and, 12 miles wide. The number of inhabitants fluctuated. In Zeila, they numbered about 3000 in the summer and 7000 in the winter, while the hinterland was .seasonably visited by nomaus, but had noi permanent inhabitants. Having regard to the tentative nature of the suggestion made to S : gnor Mussolini and refused by him, no negotiations had taken place with the Governor or inhabitants of the area- concerned. ]?• the tentative proposal had . been carried further, however, t the interests of the inhabitants would .•certainly have been consulted. There was never any question that the territory would. he banded over unconditionally. Certain .'guananteei; would have been required, for instil nee, the maintenance of grazing and watering lights for British Somali tribes. , Asked for an assurance that in any negotiations with foreign Powers which involved the offer of territory, the House of Commons would be informed before such offer became effective, Mr Eden, replied that it war. the considered policy of the Government to keep the House informed of such matters. In regard to this particular instance, the suggestion made to Signor Mussolini represented ail effort to reach an agreed settlement of a situation which the Britu'-h Government regarded with grave concern. If, Was put forward solelv in order to find out from Signor Mussolini whether, should the British Government make a- formal proposal on these linen, it was l'ke'.v to commend itself to- the Italian Government as n constructive contribution to a settlement of the dispute between Italy rind Abyssinia. For that reason it could not be published in advance of its preliminary com muni cation to Signor Mussolini, but had the suggestion been favorably received a full explanation of it would have at once been given to the Bouse with an opportunity for a full discussion. The British government would also at once have entered into consultation with the EVench Government, as a co-signatory of the 1906 treaty, and with the Ethiopian Government. When a member asked that in view of the grave danger that the proposal might be taken by foreign Powers as a precedent, the Government- should make it clear that it would not try to induce such Powers to keep the peace by the transfer of British territory, Mr Eden retorted: “Yes. sir, but there are always grave dangers in any positive action/’

BRITAIN SHOULD MIND HER OWN BUSINESS

LONDON PRESS ADVICE

U.P.A. by Elec. TcT Copyright)

LONDON, July 4

The Daily Mail, in a- leader, advises Ministers to refrain from associating themseßcs in the agitation t ) stir up the League to action against Italy in connection with Abyssinia. It adds that Britain should leave Italy alone and mind her own business. If the League attempts to tin oaten to excommunicate Italy, the immediate result will he the League’s dissolution. The proposal to hand over British territory ' to Abyssinia, should never have been made without fuller consultation. The Daily Telegraph's Addis -Ababa' correspondent cays that Abyssinia, despite being previously informed that it AA-iais a matter for the League, has again appealed to the United States invoking the Kcl'oggPrland Pact. A National Red Cross Society, under Imperial patronage, is being formed, in Abyssinia-

BRITISH EFFORTS FOR FRENCH SUPPORT

OUTLOOK UNPROMTSTXG

BRITAIN WILL NOT ACT ALONE

(U P.A. by Elec. Tel Copyright)

(Received July 5, 7.30 p.ni.)

LONDON, July 5

..The Times • Paris correspondent says that British efforts to secure French support for the defence of the League’.Covenant against the menace of Avar by one' League member against another are unlikely to meet, encouragement. M. LlaVal recently concluded an agreement with Italy,' enabling the FrancoTtalian general staffs to decide on a ■diminution of garrison on the Franco-ltalian frontier. It is not, clear tvhether this justifies Italy on counting on a free hand in Abyssinia. The Daily Telegraph’s diplomatic correspondent reveals that France declared in the protocol to the Fra neo-Italian ‘ treaty regarding North Africa in January, her absence of interest in Abyssinia outside the railroad zone. Signor Mussolini inferred from that that France gives him a free hand and an unlimited extension, of Italian influence in Abyssinia.

- The Daily. Telegraph’s political corrspon'dcnt sq,y,s that though,. the gravity of the situation is not minimised, the British,,Government has no. intention .of . act ing alone in the It.M inn-Abyssinian dispute. ..' It will not shirk any of-its .League obligations, hut .it holds that, collective, and, hot .the, individual question etc procedure regarding the dispute, ' 4 fjri.il st he settled .by joint consultations. The British decision will depend on the attitude of others. Economic sanctions . against jt-ajly, it is held, would not.he effective if enforced hhyj ,fqur , or. v five countries of *•' importance but. not applied .by others outside tho, League, notably Japan and the United States,

AMERICA NOT GREATLY INTERESTED

ANY APPEAL BY ABYSSINIA WILL BE STUDIED . cv P.A. by Elec. T-c!. Caoyright.s (Received July 5, 7:30 p.m.) ..WASHINGTON,/July 5. The reported plea of the Abyssinianj Government to . America to invoke the Briand-Kellogg. pact against Italy has not been received by the State department, where it is un-officially-stated that it would bo considered on -its..merits if received. The geneual view, hore is that the Abyssinian crisis will. not directly involve, American interests. However, any, communication -on. it will- be closely studied. ..p

ITALIANS IN N:Z. NO REQUEST FOR PASSPORTS ''•[•PSP A O "at" Ur WELLINGTON'; July 5. A rumor that has had considerable, currency in Wellington, -that Italians in ■ New Zealand had signified theyr willingness to serve Ttal.y in the event of war breaking out in northern Africa:, was denied by the Italian Consul to-day. Italian subjects in New Zealand who desired.to leave the country, had to reeurc: passports, and he - had not had any recent requests for passports. Of the Italian population in New Zealand, 80 or 90 per cent, were men who had -served in the Groat War. Many of these were well past military age, and lie did not th/nlc the younger men would be liable for service. They were mostly young men who had spent practically all their lives in the Dominion, and an they, had not served in the Italian army they would not be on the reserve!

FRENCH PRESS ATTACKS BRITAIN, (T7.P.A. by Elec. Tel. Coiiyrieht.) (Bee. July 3, 1 a my PARIS, July ;j. The press continues io attack Britain for her friendliness to Germany in preference to- Italy. Oeuvre- declares that naval supporters of Italy wont allow Britain, for the purpose of masking her rea] in. tentions, to inveigle France into applying League rigors against Italy, when they should be anplied against Germany.