FASCIST ANGER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22839, 21 September 1937, Page 9

FASCIST ANGER

NYON AGKEEMENT FRANCO-BRITISH POLICY SUSPICIONS AS TO MOTIVES By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright LONDON, Sept. 19 The Berlin correspondent of the Manchester Guardian says the "extension of the Mediterranean antipiracy patrol, coupled with the sudden abandonment by Britain and France of the. naval control of the Spanish coast, are arousing serious suspicions in German political circles.

Some regard the course that London and Paiis are steering as deliberately directed at Italy.

Others doc 1 arc that British and French naval forces are being diverted from the task of preserving international peace to one smacking of the preservation of French and British interests—something like a "naval dictatorship" in the Mediterranean. The Rome correspondent of the Times says the indignation aroused both by the Xvon arrangement and the procedure adopted at the conference there is steadily mounting. One excited commentator writes of Britain and France as having organised a "regular naval demonstration, if not a dress rehearsal of co-operation between the two Fleets in a possible future war." The situation is declared to be becoming more difficult. The extension of the Mediterranean patrol to cover surface vessels is described in some Italian circles as a symptom of the mania for creating a fatal incident.

SUPPLEMENTARY PLAN

PIRATES OF THE AIR MEASURES FOR PUNISHMENT British Wireless RUGBY, Sept. 19 The Italian Government having received a copy of the agreement supplementary to the Xyon arrangement which was signed on Friday, its terms were published at Geneva yesterday. In communicating the text to the Italian Government the latter was informed that its practical observations on the second agreement, as on the first, would be given the closest attention by the Xyon Powers. The new agreement applies to attacks by surface vessels or aircraft upon any merchant ship in the Mediterranean not belonging to the parties to the Spanish conflict when such attacks are accompanied by a violation of the humanitarian principles embodied in the rules of international law relating to warfare at sea as laid down in Part IV. of the Treaty of London, 1930, and confirmed in the London protocol signed last November.

Any surface war vessel which witnesses such attack when engaged in carrying out the Xyon arrangement is authorised, if the attack is by aircraft, to open fire on such aircraft, or if the attack is committed by a surface vessel to intervene within the limits of its powers, and if necessary to summon assistance in that task. In their territorial waters each of the participating Powers concerned will give instructions as to the measures to be taken., by its own war vessels in the spirit of the present agreement. It is pointed out that nothing in the agreement prejudices the right of any country to defend its shipping from attack of any kind whether such attack is in conflict with humanitarian principles or merely illegal.

It is understood that the recommendations contained in the recent report on the work of the Nonintervention Board include a proposal to end the patrol. The board was satisfied that the patrol would not be effective as ancillary to the sea observation scheme, while it was costly and involved many objections and risks. It is expected that the battleship Resolution and two destroyers will keep their present station off the northwest coast of Spain, and it is understood that there will be 38 British destroyers and five flotilla leaders available for carrying out duties imposed by the Nyon agreement. ITALY INFORMED

DEMAND FOR PARITY PRICE OF COLLABORATION ROME, Sept. 19 An official statement announces that when the British and French Charges d'Affaires submitted to Count Ciano, Minister, the supplementary Nyon agreement, they asked for a further explanation of the Italian Note of last Tuesday, as it; had produced contradictory interpretations as to whether Italy would collaborate in the Mediterranean patrol. Count Ciano subsequently explained that Italy, in advancing the question of parity of rights, intended to establish that the Italian Fleet must have a position equal with the British and French if it is to participate in naval measures. The announcement says Germany has been informed of the contents of the communication to Italy.