PEACE SHORTLY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 111, 11 April 1936, Page 9

PEACE SHORTLY

ITALIAN EXPECTATIONS. NEW TERRITORY WON; POSITION AT GENEVA. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph. —Copyright.) . ROME, April 9. The Government spokesqj.au has expressed the opinion that, in view of tlie recent success, Italy expects to be able to conclude peace in a few weeks. Marshal Badoglio claims that the victory’ of Lake Ashangi has enabled the occupation of 23,100 additional square miles of territory, bringing the tocal in Italian hands to 28,00 u square miles. The farthest penetration- troin Eritrea is 186 miles.

The British Foreign Secretary (Mr R. A. Eden), at Geneva, received the Abyssinian delegate, who stated that Abyssinia was ready to talk peace under the auspices of the League of Nations provided the settlement was within the spirit of the Covenant. Under no circumstances would she negotiate with Italy direct. The jurists have reported that the Committee of Thirteen is not the- proper body to consider Italy’s alleged violation of the poison gas convention, which was a matter for the League Council. Thus Italy would be enabled to assist in judging • her own case. The Rome correspondent of the British United Press says Signor Mussolini has instructed Baron .iloisi not to discuss the Italo-Abyssinian question at Geneva. ■ PEACE DISCUSSIONS. . ABYSSINIA’S WILLINGNESS. GENEVA, April 9. It will he conveyed, to Rome and Addis Ababa to-night, Senor Madariaga, the chairman of the Committee qf Tnirteen announced, that Abyssinia is prepared to talk peace with him and M. Avenol in tlie presence of the Italians within the framework of the League, Italy first stating the terms. Senor Madariaga is seeing Baron Aloisi about it to-night. The Committee will resume to-morrow at 10 a.m. • It is understood that Mr Eden this afternoon announced that in the case of future aggression on the part of any nation Britain would advocate . sanctions. M. Flandin is reported to have expressed satisfaction at this. Earlier ho made a statement that France was not prepared to negotiate on the European situation till international law had been re-established. CHEMICAL WARFARE. ITALIAN ALLEGATIONS. GAS USED BY ABYSSINIANS.

(Times Cables.) LONDON, April 9. The Rome correspondent of the Times says that Signor Gayda, in a long inspired article in the Giornale d’ltalia, denies that the Italians are using poison gas in East Africa. He alleges that British- firms are supplying the Aby ssi nians with gas and. other war chemicals, and challenges the Committee of Thirteen’s competency to inquire into the matter. He declares that the poison gas charge agaiiist Italy is merely intrigue to rob her of her fruits of victory. Persuasive proofs of the use of gas are wanting. “Photographs of burned. Abyssinian bodies prove nothing,” the article continues. “Burns may have been caused by flame-throwers or incendiary bombs, the use of which is not forbidden by the 1925 Geneva protocol. Burns may also have been caused by gas used by the Abyssinians themselves in an unsuccessful attempt to employ it against the Italians. “Even if Italy had employed gas,” says Signor Gayda, “she would only have retaliated against the Abyssinian atrocities.”

He says the reports have - been received in Geneva with supreme indifference, even with . silent satisfaction, and he points out that tire Geneva protocol does not exclude the rig'jt of reprisals. Other countries, including Britain and Spain, have used gas in colonial warfare without even motives of reprisal. Finally, lie argues that the signatory Powers of the Geneva protocol can take action only against a violation of the protocol when they are directly injured by it. The Committee of Thirteen had no moral right.to investigate the question because it had shown itself swayed by political motives. The proper investigating body was the international committee of the Red Cross. BRITISH DENIAL. LONDON, April 9. British chemical firms categorically deny that they have ever supplied poison gas to the Abyssinians. COMMENT IN THE HOUSE. MR EDEN CRITICISED. LONDON, April 9. In the House of Commons, under wide license, on a motion for the Easter adjournment, Mr P. W. Donner (Con.) urged filling up the granaries in case of emergency. Mr Boothby interposed with a strong criticism of Mr R. A. Eden’s speech at Geneva on April 8. He said he could not understand the point of the speech. If the chance was gone of achieving unanimity at the league it would be kinder for the Abyssinians to face up to that fact instead of leading them up a garden path and prolonging the ghastly war and, still worse, severing us from France. Dr. E. L. Btirgin (Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade), replying, ' said the question of food independence was of staggering magnitude. He promised to look in detail into Mr Donner’s suggestion, but the problem of food supplies to stand a siege as distinct from temporary interruption was something far bigger than any he could contemplate. Viscount Cra n bourne (Parliamentarv Under-Secretary for Foreign Affaire) said Mr Eden had pressed most strongly a.t Geneva for the policy outlined in his speech last Monday. If conciliation was without result, it would be a question of calling the Committee of Eighteen together. If the use of gas was not abolished it vfould almost end civilisation. It was an issue of the utmost urgency. The House adjourned till April 21.