Hostilities in Ten Days

Manawatu Times, Volume 60, Issue 231, 1 October 1935, Page 7

Hostilities in Ten Days

Hopes of Peace Abandoned Europe Awaits Fateful Hour United P/css Assn.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright. “Received Monday, 10.20 p.m. LONDON, Sept. 30. Only a few optimists retain hopes of a peaceful settlement of the dispute between Italy and Ethiopia, and Europe generally is estimating the number of days before the clash comes. The majority of the newspapers expect it to come in about ten days and statesmen have proceeded to the next stage of calculating the effect of sanctions and the possibilities of limiting the conflict to Africa. Britain’s Labour and Conservative Parties’ annual conferences this week are expected to reveal seriously divided views on the extent to which Britain should allo\V herself to become involved. The Cabinet discussion on Wednesday and Mr. Baldwin’s speech on Friday arc likely to furnish further elaboration of the British attitude. Meantime, France generally welcomes Sir Samuel Hoare’s affirmation of collective action though'she chafes under the avoidance of specific undertakings in future eventualities.

Only Real Hope of Avoiding War BRITISH FAITH IN COLLECTIVE \ PRINCIPLE. ASSURANCE TO FRANCE. (British Ofiicial Wireless.) RUGBY, Sept. 28. The text of a letter signed by the British Foreign Secretary, Sir Samuel Hoare, which was handed to the French Ambassador at tho Foreign Offico on September 26, is now published. Its terms are:— '‘ln the inquiry you were so good as to address to Sir Robert Yansittart on September Excellency expressed the desire of your Government, in counection with the dispute between 'ltaly and Abyssinia, to learn to what extent they might be ass.urcd in future of the immediate and effective application by this country of all sanctions provided in Article 1G of the Covenant in the event of violation of the Covenant. of the League of Nations and resort to force in Europe, and you referred in particular to the eventuality of resort to force in Europe.on the part of some European State, whether or not that State might a member of the League. Reiteration of Geneva Speech.

vary according to the circumstances of each particular case.

“Your Government, as I am awaro, already recognises these distinctions. And similarly in regard to treaty obligations it is pertinent to recall that as 1 have already said at Geneva elasticity is part of security, and thatevory member of tho League must recognise, as the Covenant itself recognises, that the world is not static.

“If it bo suggested that this declaration of support for tho principles of tho Covenant embodied in my rocent speech at Geneva and reaffirmed iu the present Noto represents only the policy of his Majesty’s present Government and not necessarily that of its successors iu office, I may point out that while my words at Geneva were iu fact spoken on behalf of tho present Government of this country, those words wero also spoken with the ovenvholmiDg support and approval of the peoplo of this country. Firm Hold by Britain

“I stated at Gcueva—and as has since become increasingly- evident, the attitude-of public, opinion in the last few weeks has clearly demonstrated the fact —that it is moved by no valuable and .unreliable sentiment, but is concerned with a general principle of international conduct to which I will firmly hold so long as tho League remains an' effective body. His Majesty’s Government believes that the organism which iu the considered opinion of this nation represents the one and only real hope of avoiding the senseless disasters. of tho past and ensuring world peace by collective security in tho future will not lightly render itself impotent by lack of faith iu and refusal of effective action on behalf of its own ideals. _ ‘‘But that faith and that action must, like security, he collective. The point is So vital that I must in conclusion once more quote my words at Geneva: *lf the risks ior peace are to he run, they must be run by all.’ So long as the League preserves itself by its own examples this Government and this nation will live up to its full principles.”

”1 have the honour iu reply to invito your attention to the words I used in my speech to the Lcaguo Assembly on September 11.- I then declared .that his Majesty’s Govcrumeut iu the' United Kingdom would be second to none in its intention to fulfil within the measure of its capacity tho obligations which tho Covenant lays upon it, and I .added that the ideas embodied in the Covenant, and in particular the asjiiratiou to establish the rule of law in international affairs, had appealed with growing force to the strain of idealism iu British national character, and that they had indeed become part of national conscience.

.“As your Excellency will also recollect, I further took tho opportunity in the courso of my speech to repudiate any suggestion that the attitude of his Majesty’s Government had been one of other than unwavering fidelity to the League and all thaf it stands for, and I draw attention to the fact that tho recent response of public opinion in this country showed how completely the nation supported the Government in full acceptance of tho obligations of Lcaguo membership which was the oft-proclaimed keynote of their foreign policy. I added that to suggest or insinuate that this policy was for some reason peculiar to the Jtalo-Abyssiniau conflict would be a complete misunderstanding. Nothing could in fact be further from the truth. Adherence To League Principles. “I said —and I sincerely welcome this opportunity to repeat with. full responsibility that it is to the principles of the League aud not to tiny particular manifestation thereof that the people of this country had demonstrated their adherence. Any other view would at once be au underestimate of British good faith and an imputation upon British sincerity. In conformity with its precise and explicit obligations I .pointed out, .and I re-empliasise, that- the League stands, and this country stands with it, for collective maintenance of the Covenant in its entirety, and particularly for steady and collective resistance to all acts of unprovoked aggression. ‘T would draw your Excellency’s particular attention to this last sentence. I think it wilt' be generally agreed that no member of the League could lay down its policy in advance of any particular case likely to bring that policy into consideration with greater clarity and decision than in those words. Your Excellency will obthat I spoke, as I am now writing, of all acts of unprovoked aggression. Each word in that sentence, must have its full value.

Britain’s Important Reservations MAY NOT PLEASE FRANCE

Received Monday, 8.45 p.m. LONDON, Sept. 29. The News-Chronicle interprets Sir Samuel Hoare’s Note as plainly meaning that Britain will not bo commitled unconditionally to sanctions against Germany because Franco can prove Germany broke tho disarmament clauses of the Versailles Treaty. Britain also will' not bo committed if Austria voluntarily coalesces with Germany. Moreover, she will not bo committed to military or naval action in disputable cases such as Memel, where tho determination of the real aggressor might bo very difficult. Tho Daily Mail hopes the Note will be tho prcludo to greater aloofness from Continental entanglements and tho abandonment of sanctions. It adds: “It would bo a real gain if henceforth Britain made the British Empire our League, with Loudon instead of Geneva as its headquarters for the determining of its policy.’’ The Times, in a leader, says: “Nobody who has followed the Empire’s evolution can be under any illusion regarding its instincts for peace ar.d ■ justice. The Dominions are becoming more conscious of the danger of a world in which great nations do not possess such a voice as theirs for - choice between war and peace. The Dominion Parliamentary debates and their delegates’ attitude at Geneva re-, vealed a unanimity previously incredible. It is also inconceivable that the Dominions or any class in Britain could disagree regarding the necessity for a revision of our Imperial defences although it is unnecessary to decry their inadequacy. The present situation of rearmament does not involve a change in foreign policy, but at present unhappily there can be neither peace nor freedom from anxi-

According to Circumstances

“It is at once evident that the procedure under Article 16 of the Covenant, appropriate as regards ?> positive act of unprovoked aggression, is not made applicable as regards the negative act of failure , to fulfil the terms of a treaty. Purther, in the case of resort to force, it is clear that there may \ be degrees of culpability and degrees of aggression, and that con- j sequently in cases where Article i 16 applies the nature of action appropriate to be taken under it may

cty while those countries which appreciate these blessings least arc allowed to bo strongest.” France Satisfied With Britain’s Reply ‘‘NOTHING- COULD BE MORE DEFINITE” PARIS, Sept. 29. It is stated oilieially that the eminent is completely satisfied with Sir Samuel Hoare’s Note regarding Britain’s policy in the event of an act of aggression in Europe, and adds that nothing could be more definite.