EMBARGO ON OIL

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 12752, 7 January 1936, Page 5

EMBARGO ON OIL

PRESS COMMENT ON ROOSEVELT’S SPEECH. GENEVA MAY IMPOSE SANCTIONS' ON JANUARY 20. AMERICA MAY APPLY BAN PREVIOUSLY. STILL ALOOF FROM LEAGUE, (U.P.A. by Elcc. Tel. Copy Halit). (Received Jan. G, 7 p.m.) LONDON, Jan. 6. The newspapers are still discussing the possibilities arising from Mr. Roosevelt’s speech on “autocratic dictators” who disturb peace by encroaching on the rights of smaller nations, the journals interpreting it according to their own politics. The News-Chronicle believes that the League will probably take definite steps towards an oil embargo on January 20, as if the United States Congress puts an embargo on oil above Italy’s peace-time supplies, League members who condemned the aggressor cannot do less. f

The News-Chronicle’s Paris correspondent says that the French Foreign Office has good reason to believe that Mr. Roosevelt alter .the passage of the Neutrality Bill intends to apply oil restrictions before the League meets on .January 20 as he wishes to avoid the, suggestion that lie is following the League’s lead, owing to the intense irritation caused in Washington by the League's failure to put an embargo on oil in December after Mr. Cordell Hull, Secretary of State liad repcatcdy intimated that, the American Government would do nothing to hinder an oil embargo. The Daily Telegraph, in a leading article, recalling that Mr. Baldwin once declared that he would not commit himself to extreme sanctions till lie know what the United States would do, points out that if Congress endorses Mr. Roosevelt’s policy Britain will then know. It adds that the League may be gratified at the viewpoint regarding oil, yet the speech proves America’s complete withdrawal from association and cooperation with the League. Air. Roosevelt did not even hint at liis readiness to join in the consultation provided by the Kellogg Pact.

ANGLO-AMERICAN SOLIDARITY.

FRENCH RADICAL JOURNALS IMPRESSED. ' " - i 4I ; ' (U.P.A. by Elec. Tel. G-my'fight).. (Received -Jan. G. 7.43 p.m.) LONDON. Jan. G. French Radical newspapers regard Mr. Roosevelt’s speech as an indication of Anglo-American solidarity, which is tints a new factor in world, politics. Accordingly, Britain’s friendship is even more important to France while the renunciation of the Americans' traditional dec-trine of the freedom of the seas increases the prestige and power of Britain, which is thus more important as tiic League s leading mandatory in a dispute involving a sea blockade. DISAPPOINTMENT IN ROME. MISSION MAY GO TO AMERICA. (IT. p A. by Elec. Tel. CuiiyrighO. (Received Jan. G. 7.40 p.m.) LONDON. Jan. G. The Daily Telegraph’s Rome correspondent rclerring to air. Roosevelt’s speech, says that. Italy anticipated a more sympathetic view of her colonial aspirations. It is reported that "a mission will go to America and present Italy’s case “in the true light.” ENGLISH IMPORTS BAN. MEANS CS,COO,OOO LOSS. LONDON. Nov. iS. Apart from the valuable tourist traffic from Britain, which has already almost entirely ceased, Italy stands to lose well over £8,000,000 worth of trade into Britain as a result of the ban on Italian imports which came into force to-day.

Italian lemon growers will ho heavily affected. Trade in the first 10 months of 1935 was valued at nearly £650,009. The farming community also will be hit in' many other directions.

Figures for British imports from Italy for. the first 10 months of 1935 show: Canned tomatoes, £286,000; cheese. £305,000; wine, £213,000; almonds, £151.000; hemp, £186,000; olive oil, £128,000. Italian manufacturers of leather goods will bo hit to the tune of over £373,000 and manufacturers of felt hats and caps. £169,060; imports of marble, £298,600; mercury. £ll-.-000; sulphur, £87,000. In the opinion of British observers it: will be especially difficult lor Italian fanners to find a substitute market for agricultural exports either inside Italy or outside. There is abundant evidence that the Italian tanning community is already expeiiencing difficulty in making both ends meet. It is therefore confidently expected that special measures will soon become necessary to save them from bankruptcy.

Another way in which it is. anticipated sanctions will play an important role is in bringing borne to Italian people tho extent of the world’s condemnation of 11 Duee s attack on Ethiopia. Owing to the Fascist Government’s control of the press, the world’s attitude is at present known only to a few Italians.