ALARMING REPORT

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19549, 3 February 1938, Page 5

ALARMING REPORT

ACTION IN SPAIN ITALIAN ARMY READY NO ADVICE IN LONDON DISCUSSION BY POWERS PIRACY AND BOMBING (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Pross Assn.) (Reed. Feb. 3, 11 a..m) LONDON, Feb. 2. In the House of Commons to-day, the Foreign Secretary, Mr. Anthony Eden, said the 'Government had no information to the effect that 50,000 Italian 'troops were ready to go to Spain.

He added that he had placed certain proposals before the French and Italian Ambassadors, who undertook to submit them to their respective Governments.

This statement was made in reply to alarming press reports appearing today.

The News-Chronicle stated that Signor Mussolini was reported to have completed the preparation of a new army of 50,000 soldiers, with artillery and mechanised equipment. This army was going to Spain within a fortnight.

"II Duce believes that Britain and France will not lift a hand to stop him," the report added, "even if they repeat the comparative severity momentarily shown at the Nyon Conference held last year to consider the submarine piracy in the Mediterranean. Britain and France would be too late, as Italy's troops would already be in Spain." Search for Submarine The Daily Mail states that Ambassadors and naval attaches representing the signatories to the Nyon Pact will meet in London to-day to discuss the sinking of the British ship Endymion. Only Britain, France and Italy will be represented at the beginning of the discussion, but later the other signatories may be called in. The major Powers will also discuss the bombing of open towns in Spain. The British Government is acting quickly in order to avert a recurrence of the piracy. The Daily Telegraph's Rome correspondent says that naval circles deny knowledge of any Italian destroyer serving under General Franco's flag, and add, .regarding the report that an Italian submarine sank the Endymion, that Italian submarines are in Italian waters.

The British destroyers Fortune, Firedrake, Fury, and Forester, were sTITI engaged last night in searching for any submarines in the locality where the Endymion was sunk.

MEETING OP CORTES FOREIG NERS ATTEND (Reed. Feb. 3, 11 a.m.) BARCELONA, Feb. 2. Parliamentary delegations from Britain, France, Belgium, Yugoslavia, Norway, and Sweden attended the meeting of the Cortes yesterday. They were entertained at a banquet after the meeting. The British delegates included Lord Listowel, junior Labour whip in the House of Lords.