NEW PHASE

Southland Times, Issue 22749, 27 November 1935, Page 7

NEW PHASE

PEACE EFFORTS MR BALDWIN’S ACTION LETTER TO MUSSOLINI SANCTIONS PROBLEM (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright.) (Rec. 5.5 p.m.) London, November 26. Mr Baldwin’s invitation to Signor Mussolini to formulate conditions on which he would expect to end hostilities was a passage in a letter Sir Eric Drummond, British Ambassador at Rome read to II Duce, according to M. Debrinon, M. Laval’s mouthpiece, writing in the Parisian newspaper L’lnformation, which the diplomatic correspondent of the Daily Telegraph quotes in support of a statement that Sir Eric Drummond’s conversation with Signor Mussolini represents a new phase in the British peace efforts. The correspondent adds that owing to exceptional measures to secure secrecy in London nothing is known in official circles here that Mr Baldwin thus conveyed a personal message to Signor Mussolini as the head of one Government to the head of another. It is expected that the Committee of Eighteen will hold its postponed meeting to discuss sanctions on December 9. Meanwhile, the British Government will determine whether the effect of existing sanctions is so marked as to render possible delay in more drastic measures or whether it is imperative that they should be employed. Cabinet will open a discussion on the matter on November 27 and examine the desirability of placing an embargo on vital materials, including oil, coal and iron. It is believed that Geneva will discuss the practicability of providing financial help for Abyssinia. The political correspondent of the Daily Telegraph says the debate on the Royal Address is expected to occupy eight days, three of which will be concerned with foreign affairs, including the Italo-Abyssinian war, sanctions and the possibility of a settlement. EAGER FOR SETTLEMENT MUSSOLINI’S CHANGED OUTLOOK. (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright.) (Rec. 11.50 p.m.) London Nov. 26. The Rome correspondent of the News Chronicle says that Signor Mussolini is reported to be eager for a settlement of the Abyssinian dispute. If he could arrange it now while the armies are victorious he would consent. He realizes that if the war continues another month he will not be able to conduct it on the extravagant scale practised hitherto. He also knows that despite the people’s gallant efforts to resist sanctions, doubts and murmurings are beginning to be heard of the possibility of Italian defeat; it is even for the first time suggested in the officially inspired Press. Thus, writes Signor Gayda in the Giomale d’ltalia: “If Italy is brought to her knees by increasingly severe sanctions, the fundamental question between Italy and Abyssinia will remained unsolved. The more unsatisfactory for Italy the solution of the conflict under the increasing pressure of sanctions the more Italy will _be entitled to demand of the sanctionists that they grant a solution in some other territory.”

OIL SUPPLIES ITALY'S REQUIREMENTS. FRANCE FEARS EMBARGO. .United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright.> London, November 25. Whether France’s sudden fear regarding oil sanctions has a basis in anything Signor Cerrutti told M. Laval or the luke-warmness springs from M. Laval’s domestic dilemma is the chief point of discussion in London. There is a tendency to assume that the widespread French dislike of sanctions in any form, notably among Conservatives and Fascists, has been seized in the internal political turmoil as the occasion to turn the screw against an oil embargo. Most of the hints that Italy regards the embargo as a military sanction significantly come from Paris. The Rome correspondent of The Times says that oblique reference to Italy’s warning is merely a re-quotation of what the Italian correspondent in Paris telegraphed to Rome. It is not thought necessary in Rome similarly to warn Britain, who is regarded as the real driving force and who, it is believed, is even ready to adopt the embargo instantly in the hope of forcing America’s hand. No allusion to oil appears in any version of the Drum-mond-Mussolini interview, and both The Daily Telegraph and the Morning Post feature peace-sounding more than the oil threat. The Financial News expresses the opinion that Italian oil stocks cannot be large and that increased imports will probably be fully discounted by the higher consumption. COMMITTEE OF EIGHTEEN MEETING POSTPONED. REQUEST BY FRANCE. (British Official Wireless.) Rugby, November 25. Owing to the domestic preoccupation of M. Laval the proposed meeting of the Committee of Eighteen will probably be postponed to a date to be fixed later. The addition of the commodities in question to the list of key products which the Covenant-enforcing Powers agreed to withhold from Italy has atready been accepted in principle by the Committee of Eighteen. It is appreciated that M. Laval’s request does not imply any changes in French policy regarding the measures which the League Powers are called to take as was emphasized to-day, according to a Paris Press telegram, by the French official spokesman, who added that it was likely that the postponed League meeting would be held early in December. It is expected that M. Visconcellos will review the position on November 29 with a view to fixing a new date for the meeting. The League Secretariat announces that the Russian and Rumanian Governments have indicated their readiness to impose an embargo on petrol, coal, iron and steel exports as soon as a similar measure has been adopted by the other producing countries concerned. It is pointed out at Geneva that Russia and Rumania are the chief producers of petrol for Italy. Only 20 per cent, of her imports of oil, come from the United States. leagueVdecision AMERICAN CRITICISM. (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright.) (Rec. 7.35 p.m.) New York, Nov. 25. Reports from Geneva that the League has! postponed an extension of sanctions to oil, and the intimation that the united front of Britain and France against Italy had weakened, provoked considerable caustic comment in the Press. In Washington, however, it was eemi-officially stated that League action would have no effect on the Ad-

ministration’s policy to discourage the export trade in oil and other essential war materials. ITALIANS SURPRISED COMMANDER KILLED. (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright.) Addis Ababa, November 25. The Abyssinians assert that a detachment of Ras Seyoum’s troops under Dedjazmatch Worres surprised and routed three Italian battalions,' enjoying a feast of roasted oxen commandeered from natives north of Makale. The Abyssinians killed the Italian commander and many soldiers and captured eight horses and thirteen ammunition mules. Italian tanks and aeroplanes captured Abyssinian caravans en route to Jijiga and destroyed 24 lorries. SOUTH AFRICA PARTICIPATION IN SANCTIONS. Pretoria, November 25. The Government has informed the League that it is participating in sanctions against Italy. APOLOGY TO ITALY COMMENT IN NEWSPAPER. Cape Town, November 24. The External Affairs Department has taken the unusual course of expressing its extreme sorrow that a South African newspaper would be so disrespectful to the head of the Italian Government. This apology follows a reference in the Cape Argus to Signor Mussolini’s “beastly mad-brained war and his perverted moral sense.” ITALIANS IN AUSTRALIA PROTEST AGAINST AGGRESSION. Sydney, November 25. A meeting at Griffiths of 60 Italians passed unanimously a resolution protesting against Signor Mussolini’s aggression in Abyssinia. The resolution will be forwarded to the Italian Consul at Sydney.