LEAGUE PROBLEM

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19623, 5 May 1938, Page 9

LEAGUE PROBLEM

DIVIDED VIEWS CONQUEST OF ETHIOPIA SWAY OF ITALIAN ARMS QUESTION OF RECOGNITION INDIVIDUAL MATTER (British Official Wirolnss.) RUGBY, May British recognition of the Italian conquest of Ethiopia was discussed by the Prime Minister, Mr. Neville Chamberlain, in his speech in the House of Commons.

"I would like to remind the Hou.se that other States, who are members of the League of Nations, and whose loyaltv to the League cannot be questioned, have taken a different view of this matter from that held by Great Britain," he said. "They have taken the view that collective obligations in this matter were discharged in July, 193(5, when the Assembly nassed a resolution abolishing sanctions, and their view was therefore that the members of the League were consequently free to take whatever action seemed good to them in the light of their own situation. "That is a perfectly comprehensible view, and a number of powerful and convincing arguments can be brought in suppcrt of it. "Great Britain does not desire to criticise any States that have, taken that view, but as far as Britain is concerned, it. in common with many others, held that this was not a question which concerned Britain alone, out one which required consideration by an appropriate organ of the League. Action by Some States "The result of this difference of opinion is that some of those who took part in the collective action, have already recognised the Italian position in Ethiopia; others who have taken action which implies, or seems to imply recognition; and others again have "taken no action at all. "It is a confused and anomalous position—a situation which requires clearing. Great Britain has taken the first step towards clarification by asking M. Avenol to place an item, dealing with this question, on the agenda of the forthcoming meeting of the Council of the League of Nations, which Great Britain considers an appropriate offer. "The action does not mean that we condone, or approve, the method by which Italy obtained control of Abyssinia. It does not mean we are going to ask the League to modify any resolution or decision it took during the period of the conflict. Judgment Expressed "The League expressed its judgment on the whole affair in the plainest possible terms. There will be no going back on that. "We do not intend to ask any other State to lake any action which they might deem incompatible with their obligations. "Neither any action we have taken, nor any action we ask the council to take in itself, constitutes recognition. The act of recognition remains within the sovereign rights of each individual State. "In other words, as far as this country is concerned, the time and circumstances of the recognition remain in our own discretion. I have always maintained that the only circumstance in which recognition could be morally justified would be if it were shown to be the essential feature of a general appeasement. Spanish Settlement "We could not feel that we were taking an essential step to general appeasement unless at the same time we could see a settlement in Spain within reach. "That is the reason why we made a Spanish settlement the pre-requisite of this instrument." The Leader of the Opposition, Major C. R. Attlee, intervened to ask Mr. Chamberlain what he meant by a Spanish settlement.

Mr. Chamberlain replied: "I would prefer not to give a definition. Later on, we shall get nearer the time when we can. I think we should be wrong in attempting, at this stage, to define circumstances under which we should say a settlement had been arrived at."

When Major Attlee further pressed Mr. Chamberlain on the Question the latter retorted: "I leave myself to the judgment of the House. I cannot tell the House when this protocol and its annexes will come into force, but no doubt the situation will clear itself up as 1 time goes on."