ARTICLE XV INVOKED

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 257, 27 September 1935, Page 9

ARTICLE XV INVOKED

FIRST TIME IN HISTORY COUNCIL TO ISSUE REPORT CONCILIATION STILL POSSIBLE (United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) Received September 27, 9 a.m. GENEVA, Sept. 26. For the first time in its history, the League Council unanimously decided to invoke Article 15 of the Covenant, providing that the Council shall draw up its own report and recommendations after conciliation has failed. The President proposed the appointment of a committee of all the members of the Council, except Italy,_ and suggested that the Council not close its session but remain ready for speedy action in the event of a grave development. The Council also decided that the Committee of Five remain ready to renew the conciliation efforts should an opportunity offer. M. Litvinoff announced that the Soviet would support any action the Council might resolve to take. The Italians did not attend the meeting, but they consider that the continuance of the Commitee of Five will leave the path for conciliation open. The Associated Press Geneva correspondent says the Council’s decisions were taken in a hushed silence.- The public galleries were packed and the diplomatic galleries were so full that many were unable to find seats and stood crushed against the walls.

BRITAIN STANDS FIRM. SUPPORT FROM FRANCE. “ONLY POSSIBLE STEP.” Received September 27, 9.40 a.m. GENEVA, Sept. 26. Mr R. A. Eden, supporting the appointment of the committee to prepare a report on the recommendations In accordance with Article 15, declared that the work of conciliation can continue. No opportunity should be missed. The British Government was determined to abide by its declared policy.

SOLID BODY OF OPINION. SPEECHES IN THE COUNCIL. confidenFdecision. (British Official Wireless,) Received September 27, 12.30 p.m. RUGBY, Sept. 26. When the League’s public session opened all States who are members of the Council, with the 'exception of Italy, were represented. It is understood that the Italian delegates’ absence was due to Italy’s refusal to sit at the Council table when Abyssinia was given that privilege. Senor De Madriaga, having read the report of the Committee of Five, Dr Tecla Hawariat stated that 'his Government would certainly consider with the greatest attention, any suggestion made' by the League Council. M. Guinazu (President of the Council; then proposed that the Committee of Five should remain in being in order to be ready to make suggestions at any time they were called upon to do so. He urged that all: efforts at conciliation should be continued. “The thoughts of the two parties are now known. Therefore, I propose that the Council should take immediate steps to draft a report under Article 15 (paragraph 4) of the Covenant. The Council sitting as a committee without, of course, the Italian delegate should be entrusted with that task.” ’The President also proposed that the session of the Council should not be closed, but should remain in being until the report had been drafted. Mr R. A. Eden expressed regret that despite the sincerity of the efforts made, no solution had been reached. He recalled that in September he had expressed the view that the machinery ot the League should be brought into use and he now suggested that Article 15 (paragraph 4) should now be employed as a means of solving the problem. MR EDEN’S PLEA. “This is a task upon which we will engage with all the strenuousness and attention which it is possible to command, but also without undue delay. This procedure is a further advantage to which the President has very properly drawn attention. So long as the Council is engaged in drawing its report and recommendations the work of conciliation can continue, and clearly no opportunity for such conciliation within the terms of the Covenant should be missed. While the work ot drafting, the report is progressing the Governments will have the opportunity to consider whether, and it so, how anything further can be done to safeguard peace. This is an obligation which ttie members of the League will not end with one word upon tlie wider issues of the dispute. “The policy of His Majesty’s Government in this respect has been recently and authoritatively declared. 1 need, therefore, only add that, by that policy, His Majesty’s Government is seriously determined to abide.”

M. Laval supported Mr Eden, stating that the appointment of the committee was the only possible step open to the Council, which would accomplish its task according to the letter and spirit of the Covenant. Dr Tecla Hawariat (Abyssinia) declared that Abyssinia would consider with the greatest care any suggestions of the Council. The Associated Press Geneva correspondent understands that Air Eden’s reference to conciliation is intended to leave an opening to accede to the Abyssinian request for a commission of observers. The Council Committee will meet to-morrow and a lull in public activities is likely for seven to ten days. OBJECTIONS TO REPORT’. It is understood that at a private meeting of the Council M. Litvinoff, M. Titulescu, and M. Teufik Aras objected to the Committee of Five’s report as conceding too much to Italy. They stated that the findings violated the League principles in respect of territorial integrity and sovereignty. M. Litvinoff declared that his approval of the invocation of Article 15 did not imply that the Soviet accepted the Committee of Five’s report. SPY MANIA STARTS. ITALIAN MOBILE FORCE. Received September 27, 9.40 a.m. ADDIS ABABA, Sept. 26. Spy mania has broken out on both sides of the frontier, the Italians allegedly using Somalis to penetrate Ethiopia. Many of these have been caught, while Italians captured a number of spying Abyssin.ians. Those eluding capture report that the Italians are massing thousands of motor cyclists and hundreds of tanks on the frontier of Italian Somaliland. WAR PREPARATIONS. BY BOTH PARTIES. „ LONDON, Sept. 26. The Daily Mail's Romo correspondent says that 10 ships, carrying 900 U men, will sail from Naples lor East Africa to-day. , , , The Addis Ababa correspondent of the Times says that general mobililisation has been ordered in frontier districts.

... FRENCH SUPPORT. M. Laval supported Mr Eden. He said: “France will adhere to her obligations under the Covenant. ,Tlie Council will now abide by the Covenant and formulate its recommendations. 1 also agree on that point with the representative of Britain. The Council will accomplish this task in the spirit and letter of the Ooveuant and will, 1 am sure, after having reviewed the circumstances of the dispute, indicate the methods which it will judge most equitable.” M. Litvinoff said there could be no doubt as to the measures the Soviet Government would take when the time came to safeguard peace in Africa and in other parts of the world. Herr Munch (Denmark), in supporting the previous speakers, said he was convinced that the Council would know how to indicate the best means of maintaining peace, as well as the principles of the League of Nations.

AERIAL PATROL. FOR NORTHERN FRONTIER. (Times Cables.) LONDON, Sept. 25. • The Nairobi correspondent of the Times says that five Fairey day bombers and four Vickers transport bombers arrived this afternoon to co-operato in patrolling tlio northern frontier where, in the event of war, the Government is anxious to avoid clashes between nomadic tribes and refugees seeking the scanty water-holes. ALLEGED MENACE. ITALIANS ON ETHIOPIA. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, Sept. 25. Regarding statements made by the representatives of France and the United Kingdom as to territorial adjustments in favour of Italy in exchange for territorial concessions to Ethiopia in the region ol the Somali-land-coast, tlio Italian observations state:—“The Italian Government is forced to oppose these proposals because it has repeatedly denounced the danger of such a solution, which makes Ethiopia into a maritime Power, thus heightening the menace that she constitutes to Italy.” The Italian observations also claim that the committee should have considered the territorial right proposed by the Tripartite Treaty. Tins is described as the right to a junction between the Italian colony of Eritrea and Somaliland to the west of Addis Ababa. The Ethiopian Government, in its reply to the committee’s suggestions declares its willingness to open negotiations upon a basis of the suggestions.

NEUTRAL POLICY. N.S.W. LABOUR COUNCIL. Received September 27, 10.0 a.in. SYDNEY, Sept. 27. The Labour Council has decided that the policy of the New South \Yales Union should be one of neutrality, in the Italo-Abyssinian dispute. The militants urged support for sanctions as the only possible practical way of preventing war, but they were defeated.

VATICAN PRECAUTIONS. ANTI-GAS SHELTER. ROME, Sept. 26. The Vatican building department has planned a deep anti-gas shelter in the Vatican gardens for use bv the Pope, cardinals, prelates, soldiers and civilians of Vatican City in the event of an air attack. The shelter will be linked with the Papal Palace by concrete underground corridors. The Government proposes to construct similar shelters beneath Rome.

DUTCH LINE SHIPS. Received September 27, 9.40 a.m. SINGAPORE, Sept. 26. Royal Dutch Mail Line steamers are sailing for New York via the Cape instead of the Suez Canal. '

“SCREEN FOR HYPOCRITES.” BORAH ON THE LEAGUE. BRITISH MOTIVES. WILDER (Idaho), Sept. 26. “Tlie League of . Nations has become a screen for hypocrites who are trying to divide the territory • of Europe," said Senator Borah, addressing an audience of farmers. He warned them to fight for sovereignty in matters pertaining to the Constitution, as that document was the only protection they had on God’s earth. After noting that a war involving European nations appeared only too probable, he recalled recent statements by spokesmen in Britain to the effect that the United States must defend the peace of the world, but “it is likely that at the back of the peace of the world is a thing that concerns Britain a great deal more, that is the territory she has down there around Ethiopia. “Signor Mussolini has discovered that there are some vast natural resources in Ethiopia and has a hankering for them. Ethiopia has committed the crime of being a small nation in Eossession of vast riches, so she is to e punished. I venture to say that if the people of Italy had the kind of Constitution you have, with the power to express themselves, the right of free speech and the right to discuss whether or not they should go into the war there would be no war in Europe.” Time and again Senator Borah was interrupted by applause.

SUEZ AVOIDED. BY SHIPPING LINES. LONDON, Sept. 25. The Prince and Silver Lines have decided to divert vessels from the Sue?, to the Cape route because of the high insurance and the possibility of delays. . The P. and 0. Company has- notified passengers that its vessels may sail via the Cape without notice. EMPEROR RESIGNED. REALITIES OF CONFLICT. It has been a bitter New Year for Emperor Haile Selassie, writes Mr Noel Monks, an Australian journalist, from Addis Ababa. I learned that he has at last given up all hope of preventing the massacre of his people that must Follow if the Italians, armed to the teeth with every modern weapon of war, descend upon his country. When the mobilisation order is given it will mean that every able-bodied Abyssinian will be conscripted. About 100 ; 000 men in Addis Ababa and its vicinty will be affected, including all retainers (slaves) and peasants. No one knows better than the Emperor how hopelessly ill-equipped his army is for a long battle against a great Power such as Italy. The army ,itself does, not know that it is marching to its doom, as the Abyssinians are not able to understand the meaning of the word “inferiority.” It is pathetic to hear soldiers, carrying guns which were used in the Franco-Prussian War 65 years ago, say: “No man can pass me. I have a gun.” All the time I have been here I have not heard a single shot fired, ammunition being too scarce to waste in practice. Thousands will fire the first shot they have ever fired in their lives when they are confronted with the enemy. It is not hate that the Abyssinians take with them to battle —just love of country. EMPEROR HAILE. OUTBURST AGAINST ITALY. An Australian correspondent writing from Addis Ababa at the beginning of September says:—l stood in the tiny control room at the Addis Ababa radio station and saw the world’s most pathetic figure crumple up like a shot bandit—Haile Selassie’, Emperor of all Abyssinia. For six months his keen brain has been seeking his country’s deliverance through every diplomatic channel known. But last night, goaded to desperation and doubtless unnerved by the terrific strain he has been undergoing, he broke his reserve before the microphone. . In a faltering voice, rising scarcely above a whisper, he told the world in colourful Amharic (afterwards translated into French and English) of the wrongs his country was suffering, not only at Italy’s hands, but also from the Powers who have refused him the means of defence. His faltering voice strengthened as he launched his first attack on Italy throughout the whole dispute. “The attitude of Italy will be judged by history, which will say whether it is the just act of a nation priding itself on its civilised state to make an unjust war on a nation which it has previously connived with other Powers to disarm and render helpless,” said the Emperor.