REBELS OPPOSE BRITISH PLAN

Southland Times, Issue 23255, 19 July 1937, Page 7

REBELS OPPOSE BRITISH PLAN

Unconditional War Rights Claimed NO WITHDRAWAL OF FOREIGN AID EUROPEAN COMMENT NOT ENCOURAGING (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) (Received July 18, 6.30 p.m.) LONDON, July 17. In a long statement on tile British scheme for non-intervention General Franco, the rebel leader, declared: “The Nationalist Government has long been qualified for belligerent status; therefore the granting of such rights cannot be conditional on the withdrawal of volunteers. In any case the requisite guarantee is not obtainable without the authority of the Valencia Government. “The Nationalist army systematically rejected all aid from foreign volunteers because it did not need them, but in view of the Reds’ recruitment of foreigners the Nationalist Government placed no difficulties in the way of accepting offers from volunteers. Nevertheless the granting of belligerent rights would clarify the position.” FRENCH CRITICISM The Paris correspondent of The Manchester Guardian says that the French Government is critical of. certain features of the plan, which is considered to come nearer to the Italian and German proposals than to those of France and Britain. Hence the pleasure shown by Berlin and Rome has not caused surprise. France will not submit to international controllers if the Portuguese frontier is protected by mere British “observers.” The phrase “substantial progress in the withdrawal of foreign troops” as a condition of belligerent rights is considered too vague. France will also insist that belligerent rights will allow only General Franco and not Italy and Gennany to interfere with French shipping. The Cabinet is inflexible on the point that the withdrawal of volunteers must be the corner stone of the scheme, otherwise there will be no question of France recognizing belligerency. The French Press is gloomy about any results except interminable discussions and negotiations. Official comment from Berlin continues to be reserved, but the difficulty of withdrawing volunteers is stressed. The National Zeitung (Berlin) forecasts new German agreements with General Franco. The Italian Press regards the British plan as evidence of a change of front discomfiting to France. It is understood that the Italian Ambassador (Count Dino Grandi) will insist that no faith can be placed on the work of the Spanish Government, and that the technical difficult:-s of the withdrawal of volunteers are insuperable. DELAY DEPRECATED The diplomatic correspondent of the Australian Associated Press understands that although British circles are inclined to be optimistic about the proposals the fact that all readily agreed does not necessarily indicate a smooth passage. Lord Plymouth said that extended discussions next week were frowned on, but France, Russia, Germany, Italy, Norway, and others indicated that detailed discussion was necessary for certain aspects. It is regarded as likely that unless some breakdown occurs the talks will drag on for a long period. The diplomatic correspondent of The Manchester Guardian points out that the British plan is not open to a charge of favouring either side. Recognition of belligerency is accompanied by conditions outweighing any disadvantage that the Spanish Government will suffer from it, he says. Italy and Germany accept the plan “in principle,” and will now play for time by haggling over details and endeavouring to secure modifications. The outlook for the time being is theoretical non-interven-tion, while clandestine intervention will go on as before. The London newspapers agree that the Labour members did not like the job of criticizing the plan. The speech by the Leader of the Opposition (Major C. R. Attlee) was pitched in the lowest key, and instruction? were given to his followers to avoid a division, indicating that the executive was not united on the decision to raise the subject at all.

The Foreign Secretary (Mr R. A. Eden) in the House of Commons last night, said that if the British proposals were accepted they could provide a means of making non-intervention effective, of limiting the risk of the conflict spreading, and of confining the Spanish war to Spaniards. If they failed, and non-intervention broke down, then Europe would enter upon a new and more perilous phase. “You will have unchecked export of arms to both sides; you will have rumours, impossible to check, of the

arrivals of large numbers of volunteers; you will go back into an era of grave peril in which incidents, such as have already marked and must inevitably mark civil war of this kind will have a much deeper significance, added Mr Eden. “We have sought to discharge our task equitably, and everyone will agree that we have done it rapidly. The British Government believes these proposals are a contribution to European collaboration and therefore to peace.” GERMAN STRATEGEMS SUSPECTED GUNS NEAR GIBRALTAR AND FRANCE LONDON, July 16. The Gibraltar correspondent of The Daily Herald, giving details of how the Rock is almost completely ringed with heavy guns and underground fortifications built under the supervision of Germans, says that the first shipment of a dozen 12in guns from a consignment of 16in guns was landed on March 20 from the German battleship Admiral Scheer, which also brought technicians who are still garrisoned at Algeciras. In the same month the German tanker Max Albrecht discharged machine-guns and anti-aircraft guns. Heavy batteries have been installed along 15 miles of the coast between Algeciras and Tarifa and also at San Roque, which is only two miles behind Gibraltar. After the expression of fears that guns are threatening Gibraltar, well informed persons in Paris declare that there are similar conditions in northwest Spain, where guns could . fire across a large area of French territory. It is alleged that Germany has built fortifications and gun platforms in General Franco’s territory on top of the Pyrenees. LOYALIST RECRUITING IN HOLLAND 20 YOUNG DUTCHMEN DISAPPEAR AMSTERDAM, July 16. A police statement says the activity of “crimps” in seeking recruits in Holland for the Spanish Government has increased since the suppression of Franco-Spanish frontier control. Twenty young Dutchmen have mysteriously disappeared from their homes.