PORTUGAL'S ACTION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23277, 23 August 1937, Page 9

PORTUGAL'S ACTION

BREACH WITH CZECHOSLOVAKIA BRITISH PRESS COMMENT (British Official Wireless) RUGBY, Aug. 20. The Portugal-Czechoslovakia diplomatic breach is viewed here with much regret, and the newspapers express the hope that it may speedily be repaired. The Daily Telegraph says:»' There is no reason to doubt the genuine desire of Portugal to purchase in Czechoslovakia the Bren light machine guns ove>- which the dispute occurred. While Britain is manufacturing sufficient .Bren guns for her own requirements under licence, Portugal, like other countries which lack arms factories, must fulfil her needs abroad, and her most obvious source, Britain, is too busy to supply her; but there is equally no reason to doubt the good faith of the Czechoslovakian Government, busy with its own rearmament, in refusing to accept further orders. If suspicion that Portugal really intends the weapons for export to General Franco has entered into this matter, it may be stated at once that Britain does not share this suspicion. On the other hand, Czechoslovakia may well feel that she cannot be too careful in fulfilling her obligations of non-intervention at a time when the British patrol of the Portuguese frontier is suspended. SETTLEMENT EXPECTED LONDON, Aug. 21. (Received Aug. 22, at 5.5 p.m.) The Daily Telegraph's Prague correspondent says it is expected that diplomatic relations with Portugal will soon be resumed. It is believed that the Portuguese Minister will shortly return and settle the dispute. FRENCH PRESS CRITICISM PARIS, Aug. 20. The majority of the French newspapers criticise Portugal, suspecting Germany of fomenting the incident in order to resume periodic attacks on Czechoslovakia.