LAWS OF WARFARE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 121, 23 April 1936, Page 9

LAWS OF WARFARE

PROBLEM OF VIOLATION. MR EDEN QUESTIONED. LEAGUE ACTION RECOUNTED. ([United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) Received April 23, 11.40 a.m. i (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, April 22. The Foreign Secretary (Mr li. A. Eden) was questioned in the House of Commons regarding violations of the laws of war by both belligerents in East Africa. He recounted the action taken by the League of Nations in recent weeks on this matter, and in particular the efforts made to obtain additional information which would enable the Committee of Thirteen to decide wliat further steps it might appear proper to take. Mr Eden reminded the House that the committee already in connection with the alleged use of poison gas -had expressed to the Italian Government their opinion that the use of such gases could not be justified as a punishment for the alleged atrocities of an adversary.

Pressed in supplementary questions to say whether the allegations on both sides were well-founded, Mr Eden said it must be a matter of opinion whether th documentary or other evidence so far available was sufficient to establish the facts clearly. In such eases it was necessary ior a distinction to be drawn between individual acts* of if they were prbved, and actions which, should they be established, would involve the responsibility of the high command on either side. Everything possible had been done by the Ethiopian Government to provide adequate protection in case of need for the British ambulance units serving with the Ethiopian forces. Asked what action the League of Nations proposed to take in the ItaloEthiopian dispute after the new intensification by Italy of her aggression, the Foreign Secretary recalled the terms of the resolution of the Committee of Thirteen on April 20. which set on record that the war was continuing under conditions which had been declared to he contrary to the Covenant, and which involved the execution of the obligations laid upon the members of the League in such case by the Covenant.