May Be Last Chance

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 168, 17 July 1937, Page 5

May Be Last Chance

Non-Intervention Plan MAKING POLICY EFFECTIVE (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, July 15. A favourable reception is on the whole accorded by the Press to the British Government’s proposals for closing the gaps in the Spanish control system and enabling the policy of nonintervention to bo continued. The Times describes it as a workable plan. It appears to the average person to be something of a miscellany, says The Times, but it is absolutely inevitable in the circumstances. Each country is invited to give up some point or some points which it dearly cherished. All tho non-intervention States have now a chance of proving the sincerity of their professions and of applying further tho most effective method of shortening the conflict, which is to withdraw their nationals from Spain and thus greatly to decrease the fighting power of either side. In no other way can the policy of non-intervention truly and honestly deserve its name.* This may be the last chance of making it real and effective. The Morning Post says that whether the plan achieves its full purpose or not, it affords a practical buffer against a more dangerous clash of rivalries and antagonisms, and adds: “It would be rash to assume that this country will get any thanks for such disinterested . labour." The Daily Telegraph says that the acceptance of international observers at ports and on land frontiers would be sufficient to prevent such reinforcements of either party in Spain, and would affect the course of the war. Everybody can see practical dh ies in withdrawing volunteers, even after a unanimous resolution in favour of that course, but control cannot be made dependent upon what may come after. It stands alone in importance. The Manchester Guardian describes the plan as an honest attempt to find a compromise between the wishes of the Powers without abandoning the two basic principles of doing comparative justice to the Spanish Government and of insulating the civil war. It approves the measure of naval control that is proposed, and in regard to belligerent rights it says that the proposals correctly link that grant with the question of withdrawing foreign volunteers from Spain. The Daily Herald says that as an essay in compromise the plan is ingenious, but the paper sees no evidence to suggest that a spirit of international cooperation will be forthcoming, and says that without it the scheme will fail. It adds that the Labour Party prefers to face frankly and at once the fact that non-intervention has failed and that it should be scrapped without further delay. The News Chronicle pleads that the plan be given a fair chance, though it regards as remote the likelihood of its acceptance. Britain has made a valiant effort to get a real degree of non-intervention, but there should be a time limit for its various stages, otherwise the negotiations and fighting and intervention will drag on. So far, comment from foreign api tals upon the plan has been somewhat non-committal, but on tho whole not unfavourable. It is expected that most of the representatives at to-morrow’s full meo* ; Tig of the Non-Intervention Committee will be in a position to indicate on behalf of their Governments at least their preliminary observations upon the scheme. FIERCE FIGHTING WEST OF MADRID. WARNING SHOT FIRED AT BRITISH MERCHANTMEN. Received Saturday, 1.15 a.m. MADRID, July 16. Fierce fighting is taking place west of Madrid. Government artillery, with a direct hit, blew up the insurgents’ explosives magazine. The Almirante Cervera is reported to have fired a warning shot at a British merchantman off Santander, forcing it to quit territorial waters.