LACK OF CANDOUR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23830, 9 June 1939, Page 9

LACK OF CANDOUR

THE GERMAN LEADER INTERVENTION IN SPAIN EARLIER DENIALS RECALLED 'British Official Wireless) (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) RUGBY, June 7. (Received June 8, at 6.30 p.m.) The Daily Telegraph, commenting on Herr Hitler’s address to the German legionaries who returned from Spain, asks what was his motive for his previous silence concerning their participation. “ Was it that he could not feel quite sure of his country’s approval of a remote and hazardous adventure until he was able to boast of an accomplished victorv. or was it that silence was a useful diplomatic counter in an argument as to who was doing most of the intervention. Whatever part the first motive may or may not have played the operation of the second seems to be beyond doubt. From start to finish of the wr.r the controlled Nazi press was perpetually fulminating against the wickedness of other 'people’s intervention, real or imaginary, whilst sedulously concealing the German share. Even Britain, the European great Power which indisputably maintained strict neutrality, was not excluded from these charges. On the contrary every scrap of information which could plausibly be represented as inculpating her was displayed beneath bold headlines. The exultant disclosures now made about the real part Germany played in the Spanish conflict from July, 1936, onwards are not likely to improve Herr Hitler’s reputation for candour.” MILITARY MATERIAL QUANTITY LEFT BY ITALY (British Official Wireless) RUGBY, June 7. (Received June 8, at 6.30 p.m.) In a long answer in the House of Commons with regard to military material left in Spain by the Italians, Mr Chamberlain said that, taking all the circumstances into account, Britain did not propose to make representations to Italy unless the situation should be materially altered by any new developments. He mentioned that during the course of negotiations preceding signature of the Anglo-Italian agreement mention was made of the possibility of material being sold or given away after the end of the civil war. It was not against such an eventuality that Britain especially desired to guard. On the other hand the information available showed that the main objective of the agreement had been achieved with the withdrawal of the Italian troops and war material still in Italian hands —that objective was to ensure against the possibility that at the end of the war the Spanish Government might be induced to afford bases where quantities of war material might be under Italian military control. 1 ITALIAN ASSISTANCE “FROM THE FIRST DAY” ROME. June S. (Received June 9, at 0.5 a.m.) Signor Mussolini, toasting General Suner at a State banquet, said: “ Fascist Italy felt from the beginning of your insurrection that it constituted a decisive trial not only for Spain’s future but the future of European civilisation. We therefore did not hesitate to give you openly all our assistance from the first day until the final victory. Neither we nor our valiant comrades in arms, the Germans, ever doubted General Franco’s full triumph.” The newspaper Armed Forces reveals that between the middle of December, 1936, and the middle of April, 1937, which was the period of Italy’s most intensive intervention, 52 troopships, convoyed by 30 warships, made 132 voyages to Spain, carrying 100,000 soldiers, 400 tons of war material, and 750 cannons. An Italian naval mission arrived at Cadiz in September, 1936, in order to co-ordinate the operations of the Italian and Spanish fleets and remained throughout the war.