The Nelson Evening Mail THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1935 BRITAIN, THE LEAGUE, AND ITALY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 19 December 1935, Page 6

The Nelson Evening Mail THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1935 BRITAIN, THE LEAGUE, AND ITALY

SPEAKING early last month, the British Premier said, in relation to the Italians’ invasion of Abyssinia, “We mean nothing by the League, if we are not prepared in the end, after grave and careful trial, to enforce its judgment.” At the same time the French Premier, addressing the Co-ordinating Committee of the League, said that “he wished to remind the Committee that his country (France) was loyally applying the Covenant,” which meant that the League was receiving the practical support of the French Government in its endeavour to bring the Italian Dictator to a sense of his responsibilities towards the League and the nations of the civilised world in general. So it will bo seen that the British and French Governments were quite prepared to uphold the principles of the League’s Covenant so far as they applied to the Italians’ invasion of Abyssinian territory. No doubt they imagined that the League’s condemnation of the Italian Government’s hostile action against a nation which is a member of the League, would have the effect of bringing the Italian armies to a halt. No such result followed, and the League then decided upon the economic boycott of Italy, to which Britain and France gave their assent. Then, before the embargo was fully in operation, M. Laval, the French Premier, faltered; he became afraid that- economic sanctions would lead to actual war, and he foresaw that a large part of the brunt of that war would fall upon France, whose Government has always looked towards Italy as a friend. The consquence was that M. Laval began to think of some way to appease Italy and satisfy her land-hun-ger. The result was the Hoare-Laval proposal to give Italy practically complete control, if not actual possession, of about half of Abyssinia, and it is to that proposal, it would appear, that the British Government provisionally committed itself. Both in France and England there is exhibited a distinct disapproval of buying off Italy at the expense of Abyssinia ; the demand is that Italy shall be made to honour her commitments under the Covenant of the League. The question is how she, a militant nation, armed to the teeth, shall be compelled to abandon her career of conquest in Africa, and fulfil her obligations as a member of the League of Nations. It is evident that the French Chamber is opposed to any policy which is likely to result in war with Italy, and the British Premier will plainly have a difficult task in explaining to the House ( of Commons the adoption of a policy which, if implemented, might compel Britain to come to loggerheads with the Italian Dictator. The proposed economic blockade of Italy emanated from the League. But the subdivision of Abyssinian territory was the suggestion of the French Premier, and received the

approval of the British Foreign Minister, who, it is announce! to-day, lias resignoil. The British nation and Parliament j want to know how it was that the Brit- j ish Government was apparently persuaded ' to approve of the reported expedient, J and Mr Baldwin will be hard put to ex- j plain ’now it was that a policy was advo- j catcd which contravenes the spirit and letter of the League’s Covenant. In the meantime the Italian Dictator is uncompromising and proceeds with increased energy to bring his African war to a triumphant conclusion. He professes to belittle the economic hlockade of his country. Doubtless he Mews with satisfaction the evident reluctance of Britain and France to do anything which may lead to war. It seems evident that if the economic sanctions fail to achieve the end for which they were imposed, the objects of the League will be frustrated. In that case what will become of the reputation and authority of the League, which was created for the express purpose of upholding the sovereign rights of small nations? Is Abyssinia to be allowed to become a prey? Are the principles of the League to lie abandoned? Is its Covenant to become so much waste paper? Evidently that is the desire of Signor Mussolini. It would not appear that M. Laval is willing to risk much in defence of the Covenant, which was framed largely to protect France from just that sort of aggression which threatens to extinguish Abyssinia’s independence. The British Premier is to explain to the House of Commons the policy which his Government has pursued, in the emergency which has arisen. It would he premature to comment on that policy, at the present moment. It will be hoped by the nations throughout the British Commonwealth that the explanation will be complete and satisfactory, for there is no doubt that the people of the Dominions and of Great Britain desire to see the reputation of the British Government upheld and the principles of the League’s Covenant maintained.