BRITISH MOVE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22195, 23 August 1935, Page 11

BRITISH MOVE

ABYSSINIAN CRISIS PROTECTING LEGATION addition to guard "REGIMENT FROM INDIA ' KED CROSS ACTIVITIES By TelPSrnP !l " Presp Association—Copy rifht (Received August 22, 5.5 p.m.) rimes Cable LONDON. Aim. 22 The Simla correspondent of the Times says the 14th Punjab Le;?i,nent is being'despatched from Hombay to augment the guard at the British Legation in Addis Abata. The News Chronicle states that Lord Dawson of Penn, tho King's physician, and other eminent doctors are interested in plans to 3end B British lied Cross expedition to Abyssinia. An appeal for funds will be laurched Ihortly to send two units, comprising 24 doctors, 100 orderlies, ambulances and hospital equipment. An American, Dr. Torrance, is organising the Abyssinian Red Cross, assisted by gifts of medical supplies from leading American drug, firm J. FRENCH ATTITUDE ■BEST CHANCE OF PEACE CONCILIATING MUSSOLINI ISOLATION OF CONFLICf (Received August 22, 9.15 p.m.l fines Cable LONDON. Avg. 22 The Paris correspondent of the Times gays that responsible Frenchmen are hoping that the tension which thu dispute between Italy and Abyssinia- has caused in the relations between Britain i Bn d Italy will not lead the British Cabinet to make precipitate decisions or to formulate a policy for the meeting of the League Council which vould make conciliation impossible. . Admittedly, the hope of a favourable development between now and Sept amber 4 is most slender, but it is felt that calm and caution now may improve matters, whereas recriminations would only make them worse. Undoubtedly, the French Prime Minister, M. Laval, will seize any opportunity that may be offered for I ; utnre *.conciliation,, but the French Government is convinced that no opening will be found if anything is said or don) to exacerbate Italian feeling still further, or to make a relaxation of i?it;nor "" Mussolini's attitude impossible without humiliation ' French .hopes of peace, therelore, hang on the faint possibility of Italian initiative, but if thesa are / • dashed the French Government's; next concern wi]l be to limit the inevitable conflict. Sanctions against Italy, in the French view, would run the risk of extending it. If fighting must occur the I'ronch are hoping it will be brief, taking the form of the rapid seizure cf undefended, outlying points and areas. However, whatever the course of events it is certain that the French Government, whilie abating nothing of its belief in support for the League ai an instrument of European peace, vill decline to use it in such a way as to bring into Europe a conflict winch at present is confined to a more distant and less vital quarter of the globo. PRAYERS FOR PEACE POPE'S CONTINUED EFFORTS DR. HINSLEY CO-OPERA H 3 i / — _ (Received August 22, 5,5 p.nr.) LONDON. Atg. 22 The Roman Catholic Archbisiop of Westminster, Dr. Arthur Hins ej, in reply to Mr. George Lansbury's appeal for a " truce of God " has iient a ,letter to the Times in which ho asks: " What excuse can there be for even a war of self-defence, whe l the ■ machinery to secure justice and peace suggested by Pope Benedict XV. is embodied in the League of Natio is and the World Court, established ai d capable of functioning?"

Dr. Hinsley recalls the fact that the present Pope, Pius XI., ii 1933, emphaticjilly summoned the warfd to true peace and condemned tiirifi and again the race for armaments. 3<! says His Holiness still continues t<• work, strive and pray for peace. Tho archbishop concludes by paying that he is ordering a prayer fcr peace said at every Mass in th =? Archdiocese cf Westminster until further notice. ' ITALY'S POPULATION DECLINING BIRTH-RATE 'SEVEN MONTHS' FIGURES ROME, Aug. 21 The figures for the first seven months of the year show that tho birth-rate in Italy is falling, in spite of the desire of the Fascists that the population should Ik? increased. Births exceeded deaths by 226,170, as compared wi th an excess of 253j80i5 in the correipending period o:E 1934-