ITALY’S POSITION CLEAR

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 233, 30 August 1935, Page 9

ITALY’S POSITION CLEAR

SETTLEMENT OF DISPUTE ONLY BY VICTORY OF ARMS (United Press Association. —By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) LONDON, Aug. 29. The Daily Telegraph’s Bolzano correspondent says that Signor Mussolini, in a 45-minute speech at the meeting of Cabinet, declared that the Abyssinian dispute could only be settled by the victory of Italian arms. His object would be twofold —to wipe out the Adowa defeat and to place himself in a position to dictate peace terms to the Emperor of Abyssinia. If the League voted for the application of sanctions, even moral ones, or censured Italy she would leave Geneva. The punitive expedition against Abyssinia could be localised, unless the League started action ending in war and possibly the loss of millions of lives. Italy needed 50 years of quiet work to colonise and civilise Abyssinia. In this work Italy hoped to have the association, not antagonism, of the British Empire. The Duce added that for 13 years Italy had been trying to develop friendly co-operation with Abyssinia, but every time treaties had been signed they had been violated. The Emperor came to Rome in 1928 and signed a treaty of friendship; this had been broken. Moreover, Abyssinia had been arming for many years.

BRITAIN REASSURED. “NOTHING TO FEAR.” ITALY’S READINESS FOR WAR. BOLZANO, Aug. 29. A communique issued alter the Cabinet meeting states that Signor Mussolini declared that Britain had nothing to fear from tho Italian policy in Abyssinia. “ I f taly does not wish to have differences with Britain, with whom, in wartime, then at Locarno and Stresa, collaboration of undoubted importance for European stability was achieved,” he said. The communique adds that Italy will present a declaration at Geneva on September 4 defining her position as regards the Abyssinian problem, also a longer memorandum dealing with the history of Italian-Abyssiiiian relations. The communique also refers to sanctions tho League might take, saying: “Cabinet proclaims to the Italian nation and other nations that there may be certain sanctions which might lead to the gravest complications. Cabinet declares itself convinced that at the League meeting there will be found a group of responsible men who will reject any odious and dangerous proposal of sanctions.” The communique, which contains over 1000 words, also recalls that in much more serious cases the League neither voted nor had been in a position to apply sanctions of any kind. Nevertheless, tho problem of sanctions had been examined by the highest Italian military authorities in all its aspects, especially the possibility of special sanctions of a military character, and decisions and measures necessary to confront them had already been taken.

curtail it, which was only communicated to his colleagues in London this afternoon, was no doubt prompted by the wish to be jn closer touch with public business during the next few weeks. Ho will now be at Downing Street during the forthcoming session of the League of Nations Assembly, for part of which Sir Samuel Hoare will be absent from the Foreign Office at the head of the British delegation at Geneva when tho League Council meets.

It is expected that early in the proceedings a report will be made on tho thrce-Power conference in Paris at which the comprehensive proposals for a settlement of the Itaio-Abyssiniah dispute, which were believed to reconcile the recognised legitimate aspirations of Italy and the known need of the Abyssinian Government for expert assistance and advice with her treaty obligations, and the rights of all parties, were suggested for discussion by tho French and British Governments and were rejected by Signor Mussolini. Mr Eden, who on August 3 undertook to inform the Council at its next meeting of tho result of the Paris talks, is understood to have been considering the terms of this report before settling its filial form, on which lie will certainly wish to consult with M. Laval, with whom he has Ik?cii closely associated ill all the attempts of the last few months at Geneva and elsewhere to facilitate a. peaceful outcome from the present Italo-Abyssinian tension, as well as at the recent Paris meeting. PROBLEM FOR FRANCE. SIDE WITH BRITAIN OR ITALY? t CHOICE TO BE MADE. (Times Cables.) LONDON, Aug. 24. The Paris correspondent of the Times says that the Government is clearly adopting a wait-and-see policy in the hope that an opportunity of securing peace will occur either before or during the League Council meeting, but whether M. Laval has solved the dilemma, awaiting him there is known only to himself. M. Laval has no illusions about tho firmness of the British determination to stand by the League, and the-con-sequences of failure to uphold British initiative are not likely to have escaped his notice. All tho advantages of wliat could then only be a gesture would lio with Britain and all the onus for betrayal with France, who would be saddled, in addition, with the long-standing reproach that behind her much-vaunted attachment to the League lay no more than a desire to mie it as' a combination. against Germany. More important still, there is certain to be a revulsion of British public opinion against any failure to support the common ideal, and it is equally certain that there would be determination to have the fewest possible future dealings in Europe. Faced as a last resort with an inevitable choice between British and Italian ideas, no French Government is likely to hesitate long. Kl. Laval’s present concern is to avoid almost at any cost that choice.

“Italy’s dispute is with Abyssinia. She has not, and does not want, a dispute with Britain. Italy does not threaten directly or indirectly British Imperial interests.” The communique .emphasises that tho memorandum Italy is submitting to tho League Council will make it clear that ever since the Treaty of Uccialli Italy’s colonial priority in Abyssinia has always been recognised. Tho communique finally enumerates financial and other measures which, tho Daily Klail correspondent points out, are clearly calculated to put Italy in a position to wage if necessary a European war. FINANCIAL DECREES. Most important is a decree for unconditional confiscation of all foreign credits held by Italian subjects and the forced conversion of all foreign securities and Italian bonds issued abroad held by them into nine-year 5 per cent. Italian Treaty bonds. A further measure lays down that for a period of three years no industrial commercial company can pay a dividend exceeding 6 per cent. All dividends will be subject to a 10 per cent. tax. Tho position regarding food supplies is described as satisfactory owing to tho abundant harvest, but it is added that future industrial importations of a civil character must be subordinated to the nation,’s military needs. BATTLE FOR PEACE. ANGLO-FRENCH PROPOSALS. SUBMISSION AT GENEVA. (British Official Wireless.) Received August 30, 11.38 a.m. RUGBY, Aug. 29. Mr R. A. Eden will leave for the Geneva meeting on Monday, thus allowing time for private discussions with the other delegations to the League Council meeting before the session opens on Wednesday. The procedure to be followed at Geneva is, meanwhile, receiving careful study, and satisfaction is expressed in the formal assurance contained in the communique issued yesterday at the close of the meeting of the Italian Cabinet at Bolzano that at the Council meeting the Italian Government will present a declaration defining her position regarding the Abyssinian problem and a memorandum dealing with the history of the relations between Italy and Abyssinia. The fullest and closest consideration of these documents is assured. The suggestions made by the British and French Governments at the Paris conversations in an effort to effect a settlement of the dispute, which were rejected by Italy, will also be before the Council. These suggestions, which were based on the accepted principles of the maintenance of the independence and integrity of Abyssinia, and of an open door, ottered wide opportunities for economic development by Italy and for Italian association in the work of colonisation in Africa. , _ , .. Both in Paris and London tho opinion is strongly held that these proposals deserved more serious consideration than they received from the Italians, and that the members of the League Council will regard them as offering an opportunity for legitimate Italian aspirations in Abyssinia being met. THE PREMIER’S RETURN. Mr Stanley Baldwin, who rejoined Mrs Baldwin at Aix-Les-Bains to complete his holiday after the special Cabinet meeting last Thursday, expects to leave there on Wednesday and reach London to-day week. The period of the Premier’s stay abroad has been indeterminate aim his decision to

TROOPS IN POSITION. ITALIAN STRATAGEM. LONDON, Aug. 29. The News-Chronicle’s special correspondent at Addis Ababa says that Italian troops have taken up positions on a 240-mile arrowhead front in tho Ogaden Desert. ■The Daily Mail’s Addis Ababa correspondent says that the Emperor lias ordered a sham air raid on Addis Ababa on August 30 to test his orders to the populace as to they- behaviour during an air raid. THREATOF STRIKE. QUEENSLAND TRADES COUNCIL. BRISBANE, Aug. 29. Tho Queensland Trades and Labour Council, which represents 16,000 unionists, has pledged itself to organise a general strike in the event of the Federal Government involving Australia in an overseas war.