MR EDEN HAS LITTLE TO SAY

Northern Advocate, 23 March 1937, Page 5

MR EDEN HAS LITTLE TO SAY

Questions Regarding Italian Intervention (United Press Association.— By Electric Telegraph. — Copyright .3 (Received 2.30 p.m.) RUGBY, March 22. Asked < whether the . landing of Italian'troops with, arms and munitions in Spain for the purpose of making War on the constitutional Government in that country before February 20 did not constitute violation of- the Non-Intervention Agreement, of the. Briand-Kellogg’Pact and the Covenant of the League of Nations, the Foreign Secretary, Mr. Eden, told the House of Commons that if, by Italian troops, units of the-Italian- Army were meant, he had: tip evidence which established the landing of such units in Spain. In any event, thd, question of violation of .the Non-intervention Agreement was one for consideration by the Non-Intervention Cppsmittee itself. He did not feel called upon to express an opinion in re- :; gard to the remaining parts of the ouestion. ■■ ■ Mr.'Eden and the Earl of Plymouth, chairman- of the committee, met ia, deputation of the Trade Union Congress, who conveyed to the Minister a resolution' passed at the recent international 'conference in London. They exjpressed.the grave anxiety felt in the Labour movement at the deldy in operation of effective control in connection With the Non-Intervention. Agreement. ’ \ . ' The Essential Thing. Present' arrangements, in their view, were operating greatly to the detriment of the Spanish Government, as was evidenced by reports of the continued landing‘of Italian and German troops in Spain. , The deputation urged that decisive steps should be taken to establish an effective system of control and to secure the early withdrawal of foreign troops from Spain. , Mr. Eden said that, in his view, the essential thing was to bring into effective operation the supervision scheme at the earliest possible moment. The Government would do anything in its power to expedite a solution of other pressing problems in connection with.the situation in Spain', including the withdrawal of foreign nationals taking part in the conflict.