FRANCE AND BRITAIN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20086, 25 October 1928, Page 13

FRANCE AND BRITAIN.

COMPROMISE DISCUSSED MILITARY RESERVES ISSUE. CONCESSION CRITICISED. ITALIAN POINT OF VIEW. ANNOYED RY SECRECY. Australian and X.Z. Press Association. (Received October 01, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON. Oct at. The diplomatic correspondent of the Morning Post says he understands the British Government considers itself bound by its promise to France to ncquiesco in tho exclusion of trained reservists from estimates of fighting forces. He says this does not impose an obligation on any future Government. Despatches from Rome state that while press critics in London are attacking the British Government for its lack of frankness about this concession as regards military reserves, tlio newspape • Giornale d'ltalia is attacking France for tho samo reason. It says Italy divined the fact (hat tho Anglo-French compromise included a military agreement. Tho Under-Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Signor Dino Grandi, asked the French Ambassador, M. Beaumarchais, on August 3, a point-blank question on tho subject, but thi latter failed to givo a direct answei. It was not until September 27 that Italy learned tho true position. Tho paper accuses France of trying to keep Italy in the dark, but its criticism is directed against her diplomatic methods rather than to ihe substance of the agreement about reserves. In that matter Italy, with her trained reserves, sides with France.