DIRECT PARLEYS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 18991, 16 April 1936, Page 5

DIRECT PARLEYS

ITALIAN OPINION LEAGUE SHOULD KEEP OUT ETHIOPIA NOT CONTENT AID OF GENEVA SOUGHT FRAMEWORK OF COVENANT (Klec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. April 16, 11 a.m.) LONDON, April 15. A message from Geneva says that Abyssinia has forwarded to the League of Nations a refutation of the Italian allegations of the abuse of Red Cross emblems, and the use of dumdum bullets, and the torturing of prisoners. The memorandum adds that between June 25 and December 25 ships passed through the Suez Canal with 45 tons of mustard gas, 265 tons of other gasses and 7843 gas bombs, all consigned to Massawa. The vessel Antonietta passed Sue?! on December 11 with 400,000 dumdum bullets and the steamer Sicilia, on April 1, brought 4700 gas bombs and 3227 incendiary bombs. The Geneva correspondent of The Times says that Mr. Wolde Marian, the Abyssinian representative, conferred with Senor Madariaga, to whom he re-stated the Abyssinian Government's attitude, namely thnt negotiations for a settlement ' must be within the framework of the League and in the spirit of the League Covenant. Any direct conversations must occur in the presence of a League representative. TASK OF MINISTER The Italian Government spokesman declared at Rome to-day that Baron Aloisi's task at Geneva "is to deal with the preliminary period which always occurs at the end of a war before the peace treaty is signed." According to the Daily Mail's Rome correspondent, Baron Aloisi will make out a strong case in favour of the League standing back and giving Italy and Abyssinia a chance to come to terms without interference.

The Rome correspondent of The Times savs that the Italian attitude is still uncertain, but that Italy will now open her mouth wider than she would have done a few months, even weeks, ago cannot be doubted. The notion that the proposals of the Committee of Five or the terms of the lloare-Laval plan can be revived may be scouted as preposterous. The practical Englishman, it is held, must realise the truth of his* own saying, that possession is nine points of the law. After all, Italy, it is pointed out, has not asked for the opening of peace negotiations and therefore she is all the more entitled to draw every possible advantage from her favourable military position in Abyssinia.

GRAVE CHOICE SUGGESTED POSITION FACING BRITAIN CHANCE OF ARMED CLASH (Reed. April 16, noon.) LONDON, April 15. The Sun-Herald News Service says that what a strong section of the public is thinking is crystallised by the Morning Post in a leading article of 100 words appealing to the Government to have the courage to tell the nation the whole truth and say that the plain issue is: "Are the British people prepared to take the lead in going to war with Italy, thereby risking a situation of which Germany might take advantage?" "If she is so prepared, let the Government boldly say that such is its policy," continues the Morning Post. "If she is not prepared, let the Government terminate its provocative words and actions at Geneva and elsewhere."