SOVIET ACCUSED BY ITALY

Southland Times, Issue 23047, 14 November 1936, Page 7

SOVIET ACCUSED BY ITALY

Intervention In Spain FIERY CROSS-TALK IN LONDON ROME DESCRIBED AS ARCH-VIOLATOR / ' (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright.) (Rec. 9.35 p.m.) London, November 13. At a meeting of the committee which is supervising the Powers’ agreement on non-intervention in the Spanish civil war the Italian Ambassador to London (Signor Dino Grandi) submitted four further alleged Russian breaches of the agreement, including the sending of munition ships and Soviet officers to Spain, but the committee agreed that none of the Italian charges was yet fully established. The Soviet Charge d’Affaires (M. Kagan) declared that the only form of assistance the Soviet sent to Spain was foodstuffs and articles of primary necessity. Signor Grandi reported that since the outbreak of the war, both before and after the agreement on non-inter-vention, there has been no form of interference, direct or indirect, political, financial or military, that the Soviet had not openly or covertly carried out. The flight of the Spanish Government from Madrid had ended, amid fire and blood, the greatest attempt ever made by Bolshevist Russia to export its creed beyond its frontiers. “War, Not Peace.” “The Soviet representative says that it is a creed of peace, but the facts deny him,” said Signor Grandi. “It is a creed of war. Stalin has said that it is the Soviet’s duty to assist the Spanish people inasmuch as the liberation of Spain from Fascist oppression is not the private affair of Spaniards but the common cause of Communism. We accept the challenge to this our old victorious flag.” M. Kagan, in reply accused Signor Grandi of “piping a tune which Berlin had composed,” adding that the Soviet had no quarrel with Italy, but from the moment she betrayed herself as the aggressor—from the moment Italy declared war against a weak and defenceless people—Russia’s relationship obviously had to suffer. “No amount of propaganda speeches for General Franco can hide the fact that Italy stands before the world as an aggressor and the arch-violator of international treaties,” said M. Kagan. The chairman’s sub-committee of the non-intervention committee has completed its examination of a scheme for the establishment of a system of supervision in Spain, subject to examination of one or two matters referred to experts, and the scheme was submitted to the main committee, which approved the scheme subject to certain drafting amendments and approval by the respective Governments. Use Of Poison Gas Alleged, CONTINUOUS SHELLING AT MADRID (Rec. 1.45 a.m.) London, November 13. Rebel officers at Talavera assert that the Government forces are using poison gas shells, adding: “We may be forced to use gas too.” Apart from continuous shelling there is still little activity in Madrid. The rebels apparently are continuing their preparations on a big scale, while the Government troops continue to strengthen their defences. A big artillery duel began yesterday morning and continued throughout the day. Rebel attacks on the Toledo bridge were repulsed and 10 Government planes bombed Palma, the capital of Majorca, chief of the Balearic Islands. Major Ramon Franco, brother of the rebel leader, has arrived at Naples and is proceeding to Rome on a secret mission. OVER 11,000 REFUGEES FROM SPAIN WORK OF BRITISH NAVY. (British Official Wireless.) (Rec. 5.5 p.m.) Rugby, November 12. British warships up to a week ago had made 220 voyages, representing 76,000 miles steamed, especially to evacuate refugees from Spain, and altogether 11,195 refugees had been evacuated. The Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty (Lord Stanley) gave these facts in reply to a question in the i House of Commons. Adding fuel and other expenses, the cost of this work exceeded £40,000. Expressions of appreciation had been received from the Belgian, Chilean, ; Dominican, Finnish, German, Japanese, i Netherlands, Norwegian, Peruvian, ; Polish, Swedish, Swiss, United States and Venezuelan Governments, from the Cuban Minister in Paris and from the Danzig Senate.