ITALY AND LEAGUE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19139, 7 October 1936, Page 9

ITALY AND LEAGUE

WITHDRAWAL EXPECTED

RECOGNITION OF ETHIOPIA

LONDON. Sept. 24. Italy's withdrawal from the League of Nations appears to lie imminent. lu well-informed circles in Rome it is declared that an ofiicial announcement of withdrawal will he made after Signor .Mussolini has a conference with his -Minister of Foreign Affairs, Fount Ciano.

It, is feared that Italy’s withdrawal will spoil the prospects of an early conference in London of the Locarno Powers (Britain. France, Belgium. Italy and Germany). .Profound gloom and bitterness are the keynote of French comment on the decision of the Assembly to admit Abyssinia to its session. ft. is stressed that the prospects of Italian participation in the Locarno talks, which were already doubtful. have been further jeopardised. There is a feeling of anger in Paris that the willingness of llrilain and France to work together for peace should he haulked over quest ions ol League procedure. , | There were dramatic scenes iuGlie As- j semlily yesterday when the Credentials , Committee presented its recommendation) that Abyssinia, should he given tile j “benefit of (he doubt,” and he permitted ~ In sit during the present session. ij THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT |

The report, which was received in tense silence, was adopted hv 30 votes to L the dissentients being Albania. Austria, Ecuador and Hungary. Bulgaria. I'ana mn. Portugal. Siam. Switzerland and Venezuela refrained from voting.

The decision applies only to the present session, and does not prejudice future •ousidcrat ion. The eommifl.ee. alter a long discussion, minted mil that the head of the Ahvslinian Slate was now in a. foreign coun-

try. that the Government, was no longer in the capital, and that, therefore, (hero was a doubt- whether power existed to authorise the delegation to the League. Some, doubt, remained, but. it, was decided, to give Abyssinia the benefit, of it. .

In an interview. Dr. Martin, one of the members of the Abyssinian delegation, said: “May God guide and strengthen the League so that it may