LEAGUE COUNCIL

Southland Times, Issue 25361, 13 August 1935, Page 7

LEAGUE COUNCIL

ABYSSINIAN QUESTION DISCUSSIONS MAY BE POSTPONED CONCESSION TO ITALY (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright.) London, August 11. The Geneva correspondent of the Manchester Guardian says that instead of the extraordinary session of the League Council being convened on September 4, the Council will meet on that date to discuss the ordinary agenda on which the Abyssinian matter ranks as twenty-second, enabling a postponement of the Abyssinian discussions until the end of September. This appears to be a further concession to Signor Mussolini and will enable Italy to be represented at the opening of the Council and retire if she chooses when the Abyssinian question arises . The diplomatic correspondent of the Observer, anticipating that the British-French-Italian conference will continue for a week, discloses that the British delegation will include a representative of the Egyptian Department of the Foreign Office owing to anxiety regarding Lake Tsana. The correspondent adds that the concentration of Italians at Eritrea suggests the possibility that the Italian forces, in the event of hostilities, would early enter the region of the head waters of the Nile which would be of vital interest to Egypt and the Sudan. Moreover, Britain would thereby be faced with a fait accompli in a district reserved to herself in the Anglo-Italian Treaty of 1926. CREDITS FOR ITALY PREVENTION SOUGHT. (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright.) Paris, August 11. Although it is suggested that M. Laval will go to a considerable length to retain Italian friendship, patched up after great efforts in January’, such an impression is qualified by reports in financial circles that measures have been taken to prevent the Bank of France and other institutions granting credits to Italy. It is believed that the Italian newspapers’ more reasonable attitude is due to the realization that France will not support Italy beyond a certain point. The fact that Sir Robert Vansittart, Permanent Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, is accompanying Mr Eden to Paris is welcomed, as it is believed he is sympathetic to the French ideal of European unity and may indicate that Britain will make a gesture such as participation in a guarantee of Austrian independence as proof of League solidarity. THREE-POWER TALKS MR EDEN .REPRESENTS BRITAIN. _ (British Official Wireless.) Rugby, August 10. Mr R. A. Eden, who has been on holiday for a few days in Yorkshire, is expected back in London on Monday. On Tuesday he leaves for Paris, where he will represent Britain at the threePower conversations. ABYSSINIAN KING OFFER TO CEDE TERRITORY. (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright.) Paris, August 11. King Seilassie, interviewed by the Havas News Agency representative at Addis Ababa,' expressed his willingness to cede a portion of Ogaden in exchange for loans and a seaport, though he declared that the conditions must be fully discussed. MEDICAL MISSIONARIES FOURTEEN NEW ZEALANDERS. (Per United Press Association.) Auckland, August 12. There are 14 New Zealanders doing medical missionary work in Abyssinia, according to Mr Charles H. Barton, who himself was formerly a missionary there. . He said it appeared that the British Government had made adequate arrangements for British missionaries to leave if they wished, but his letters contained no suggestion that they were likely to leave their hosts. Mr Barton said his letters indicated that war was expected as soon as the rainy season ended about September 15. His opinion was that Abyssinia, owing to its natural geographical defences, was in a good position to resist attack. He could not see that aircraft attack offered a sure solution of the problems of an invader.