THE SPANISH SITUATION

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 24 June 1937, Page 6

THE SPANISH SITUATION

KNOWING full well that the situation in Spain may cause a general conflagration in Europe, the British Government has offered the Non-Intervention Committee its services “in order to facilitate or hasten the early withdrawal of foreign combatants, which it is desired should take place without delay.” As yet we have not heard what the NonIntervention Committee thinks of the matter, but recently in London Mr Walter Nash, speaking to the League of Nations’ Union, said, “What are we to think of this Committee, when two Powers represented on it are intervening and Spain is not represented. The League should force a withdrawal of foreign troops, and put Spain under a League mandate for a year.” Those are suggestions which, if practicable, might lead to a solution. But will Germany and Italy, who have done so much to encourage the Spanish insurgents, be willing to allow the Spaniards to settle their differences without further foreign interference? The British Government has consistently worked to that end since the Spanish civil war began, because it realised that European nations, quarrelling in Spain, might soon be quarrelling elsewhere, and that the European Continent would be disturbed from north to south, and from east to west. Hence Mr Nash’s suggestions. But will they be adopted by the Powers of the League? Are they strong enough to take action? They did not act when China was ravaged by Japan. They did not act when Abyssinia was forcibly occupied by Italy. Can it be supposed that the League will do anything drastic in regard to Spain? In the meantime Dr. Goebbels, Herr Hitler’s Minister of Propaganda, says in reference to the attack on the vessel Leipzig, “Germany will not be satisfied at the incident being referred from one Committee to another in the manner of the League. . . Germany does not Want war but peace, which is best served by strong action. We found in domestic policy that there are people with whom one can reason only after knocking out their teeth.” The Minister’s inflammatory declaration has been followed by the withdrawal of Germany and Italy from the Non-Inter-vention Committee, although one cable states the withdrawal is from the four-power patrol scheme. The inspired Berlin press holds Britain responsible for the crisis and claims that Germany has won the right to independent action. The situation has thus again become more serious and it is evident that if the League is to uphold its authority it must act immediately—if it is in a position to do so.