Cautious But Firm

Manawatu Times, Volume 60, Issue 174, 26 July 1935, Page 7

Cautious But Firm

British Policy on Abyssinian Crisis

MORE ITALIAN ANTIBRITISH INVECTIVE

United Press Association.—By Ulcotrlc

Telegraph.—Copyrieht. Received Thursday, 5.5 p.m LONDON, July 25.

The Daily Mail’s diplomatic correspondent says Cabinet has decided on a cautious British policy in connection with Abyssinia. Consequently Mr. Anthony Eden is going to Geneva at the week-end almost with a free hand. He is instructed to employ his personality to find an eleventh-hour agreement which is regarded as impossible. Afterwards he is to use his discretion at each stage of the League proceedings. He will be empowered as a last resort to state that Britain will adhere to her covenanted obligations if other signatories agree to do the same. The Government has abandoned hope of a conference between England, Italy and France under the 1906 Treaty. France agrees with the British attitude.

The new Abyssinian Ambassador to Britain, Dr. Ajaz Martin, interviewed by the News-Chronicle, says he is endeavouring to raise between .£2,000,000 and £5,000,000 on mining and oil working concessions in order to purchase munitions. Similar attempts will be launched in America.

He hopes Britain will grant Abyssinia credit to buy arms and particularly ammunition for Mausers of which the Abyssinians possess 200,000, besides guns captured from the Italians in 1896, some machine-guns and a number of aeroplanes. AY omen are accompanying the army to cook and wash.

The Daily Telegraph’s Home correspondent says Mussolini has retired to his Castle, llocca Della Caminate, for reflection. Meanwhile his conversations with the British and French Ambassadors have been indefinitely postponed. A Turin message says the newspaper Stampa declares that the first Italian shot with a British bullet will die cursing Britain’s insatiable lust for gain, but Italy will be avenged. Her young men arc burning with war fever and believe Britain herself wants Abyssinia.

Anti-British posters arc becoming- plentiful.

Dispute’s Increasingly Serious

Turn

ITALY MUST HAYS NO CONTROL

Received Thursday, 10.25 p.m. LONDON, July 25,

The League Council meeting to discuss the Itnio-Abyssinian dispute is now expected to be held on the 3.lst. The Times’ political correspondent says tho British Government attaches the greatest importance to the question of the Council’s agenda. It is felt that the increasingly serious turn ot the dispute and the Abyssinian Government’s appeal to tho League involve an extension of the discussion to iho whole field of Italo-Abyssinian relations.

The Abyssinian appeal, it is pointed out,' could equally well bn discussed under either article J 1 or 15 of the Covenant. Article 11 empowers the League to take action against war or threat of war, while article 15 prescribes the procedure to be followed where a. dispute between two members of the League is likely to lead to a rupture. The British Government hopes this procedure will bo followed, .also that Italy besides being represented at the meeting will fully state her claims and grievances against Abyssinia. The Times’ special correspondent at Addis Ababa says the Abyssinian Government is still pre-

pared to contribute to a constructive solution by territorial concessions in exchange for land or even for financial assistance. She is also ready to discuss a railway project west of Addis Ababa, but is determined not to allow a military or even a neutral zone. Economic concessions could also be discussed, but only provided they did not give Italy any form of political control. This will be resisted to the end.

“War of Conquest” LABOUR’S VIEW OF DISPUTE LONDON, July 24. Tho National Council of Labour, in emphasising the supreme importance of issuing challenges to the Government, to declare its intentions in connection with, the Abyssinian situation, adds: “It is now clear that Fascist Italy has employed Italo-Ethiopian negotiations to circumvent the normal League of Nations procedure, dispatch troops to Abyssinia, and prepare a war of conquest in order to make Abyssinia an Italian colony.

“The British Government should mako immediate proposals at an opening meeting of tho Lcaguo Council in order to define the responsibilities under the Covenant of Italy and Abyssinia. No foreign loans should bo

made available to facilitate the slaughtering of Africans for the glory of the new Fascist Empire.”

The Arms Question

NO LICENSES ISSUED TO DISPUTANTS

(British Official Wireless) RUGBY, July 24

At question time in the House of Commons to-day the Foreign Secretary (Sir Samuel Hoarc) repeated his promise to make a statement shortly on the whole subject of the supply of arms to Italy and Abyssinia, and it is generally expected that he will do so within the next day or two.

He stated that he was not in a position to say what action had been taken by Belgium, Czechoslovakia, and other countries, but according to his information France ’-ad prohibited the export of war material to Italy and Abyssinia, while the Swedish Government had as yet received no application for export licenses.

The .President of the Board of Trade (Mr. Walter Runciman) stated that no license whatever had been issued for the export of arms to either Italy or Ethiopia during the past four months.

Not at any time since the signing of the Treaty of 1030 between the United Kingdom, Ethiopia, Franco and Italy has any difference in treatment been given to Italy and Ethiopia, except as arises from the provisions of the Treaty itself that the importation of arms and munitions of war and aircraft into Ethiopia is subject to Ihc production of an export license issued by the country of export after the presentation to its authorities of ari authorisation by the Ethiopian Government for import into Ethiopia. According to the newspapers, such an authorisation by the Abyssinian Government has not been forthcoming in the case of orders which some British firms are understood to have received for delivery to Abyssinia. Austrian Volunteers to Help Ethiopians EMBARKATION AT BREMEN (Times Gable.) LONDON, July 24. The Vienna correspondent of The Times quotes an evening newspaper statement that Austrian Legionaires, preferring Africa to their present existence in German concentration camps, will light for Abyssinia, and that several of them embarked from Bremen.

The newspaper denies that Dr. Schuschnigg, tho Chancellor, intends thousands of Storm Troops to go to Africa to reinforce the Italians in the event of Avar.

Foreign Air Force For Abyssinia NICE, July 24. Four British and eight FrenchAmerican aviators are going to Abyssinia in August. The leader, Hal Duberrier, of Chicago, says that they will constitute tho nucleus of a foreign air force and that they will have German and Dutch aeroplanes awaiting them on their arrival.

Tho enterprise has wealthy private backers.