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New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22447, 17 June 1936, Page 13

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' SANCTIONS TO GO PROPOSAL BY BRITAIN / HOME'S ATTITUDE - ' _____ SEMI-OFFICIAL VIEW AGGRESSION 'VERDICT By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received June 16, 8.35 p.m.) , LONDON, June 16 ■Reports to the effect that the Foreign Secretary, Mr. Eden, would resign as the result of Mr. Neville Chamberlain's recent speech in favour of lifting the sanctions against Italy are officially denied. - Speaking in the House of Commons to-day, Mr,,, Eden said: "The Government desires a debate on foreign policy at the earliest possible date. I will be prepared then to state the views of the Government regarding the action which should be taken collectively at the meetings of the Council and the Assembly of the League of Nations. According to the Daily Mail, a hurr ried meeting of members of the Cabinet, including Mr. ,Eden, held in the Prime Minister's room, decided that sanctions must be dropped and that Britain should lead the League's retreat from the sanctions policy." ' Twenty speakers at the weekly meeting of the Conservative members' committee were unanimous in the view that sanctions should be terminated. The Morning Post's political writer states that Mr. Eden's speech in the House on Thursday, in which he will announce the Government's decision to propose the raising of sanctions, will iollow closely on the lines of Mr. Chamberlain's speech. The Foreign Secretary will point out that sanctions failed either to prevent or to end the Abyssinian war or to preserve the independence of Abyssinia, and therefore there is no logical or practical justification for maintaining them. There have been no differences in the Cabinet on the matter. The only hesitancy has been whether Britain should take the lead at Geneva or leave the initiative to the Assembly. The Daily Telegraph's Pome correspondent states that semi-official circles now are declaring that the lifting of sanctions will not be enough to allow Italy again to collaborate in European affairs. They suggest that a more positive gesture is needed, namely the simultaneous reversal of the League's verdict of aggression against Italy.

IL DUCE'S OFFER

IMPORTANT CONCESSIONS PACT IN MEDITERRANEAN (Received June 17, 1.15 a.m.) LONDON, June 16 The Sun-Herald news service says a section of the press continues to suggest that there are grave differences in the Cabinet in connection with the forthcoming decision as to sanctions and that Mr. Eden's resignation is imminent-. Such rumours, however, are without foundation and are primarily designed to fore© Mr. Eden from the Cabinet. In this they are not likely to succeed. When Mr. Eden announces the abandonment of sanctions on Thursday he will outline Signor Mussolini's memorandum. This says that apart from accepting any diminution of Italian sovereignty in Abyssinia the Italians are ready to meet Britain's desires in every possible way. Assurances are given that henceforth Italy belongs territorially to the "satisfied'' Powers. II Duce pledges himself not to raise a black Army in Abyssinia, declaring that he has no further territorial ambitions in Africa. Also he is ready to conclude a Mediterranean pact with Britain and France, accompanied by a limitation of naval armaments, the pact to include Greece and Turkey if they so desire.

Italy, further, is ready to support the British point of view in regard*to the reform of the League Covenant. The Italians intimate that in the event of Britain rejecting collaboration, they will turn to Germany.

QUESTIONS IN COMMONS DEBATE PROMISED REQUEST ,OF OPPOSITION British Wireless RUGBY, June 15 Six questions were down for answer in th« House of Commons bearing on the speech on sanctions delivered last week by Mr. Neville Chamberlain, and asking for/a definition of the attitude that will be taken by the British Government at the meetings of the Council and the Assembly of the League of Nations on' June 26 and 30. Most of the questions addressed to the Prime Minister asked when an opportunity for a debate in the House on the international situation would be given. The Leader of the Opposition, Major C. R. Attlee, gave notice that the Labour Party would ask for a debate on Thursday, and later the Prime Minister intimated that,'the" Government would accede to that request.