POWERS FAIL TO AGREE

Southland Times, Issue 23345, 1 November 1937, Page 7

POWERS FAIL TO AGREE

WAR RIGHTS FOR SPAIN RUSSIA INSISTS ON FOREIGN EXODUS REPORTED BRITISH LIMIT TO DEADLOCK (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) (Received October 31, 8.40 p.m.) LONDON, October 30. The granting of belligerent rights was again the stumbling-block at the meeting of the Non-Intervention Committee yesterday. The Soviet delegate (M. Ivan Maisky) repeated his demand that belligerent rights should be granted after the compete withdrawal of foreign troops from Spain; therefore he would abstain from voting on the paragraph in the plan relating to it. The German delegate (Herr Joachim von Ribbentrop) demanded complete unanimity, and suggested that a certain member should use its influence to bring Russia into line. Further efforts to reach a solution will be made during the week-end. In the meantime it is proposed that the Chairman’s Sub-Committee meet again on Tuesday and the main committea on Wednesday

When the meeting ended yesterday the position was that Britain, France, Belgium, Czechoslovakia and Sweden had adopted the draft resolution; Germany, Italy and Portugal supported it, but only provided the decision was unanimous; and the Soviet supported it, with the reservation about belligerent rights. |

Herr von Ribbentrop said the Soviet’s attitude had now become a real menace to the Non-Intervention Committee and to the European situation. The sub-committee tentatively decided that a resolution embodying the proposals for the withdrawal of volunteers should be submitted to the main committee on Wednesday, with a request that authority be given for the chairman of the sub-committee to approach the two authorities in Spain asking them to agree to the resolution as a whole. Pending consideration by the Spanish parties the sub-committee would continue its preparatory work for withdrawals. The sub-committee on Tuesday will be asked formally to approve this course of action. The German and Italian representatives said that until they had consulted their governments they could not oe bound to agree to the suggested procedure, particularly authorization to approach the Spanish .parties. The Sunday Times says that failing a definite advance Britain is not prepared to extend beyond Tuesday her effort to _ continue non-intervention. The British view is that although M. Maisky’s reservations are regrettable, they do not justify the Italian and German attitude. Meanwhile General Franco is arming merchantmen to assist his warships to prevent arms from reaching Valencia when he is accorded belligerent rights. The Admiralty announces that British, French and Italian admirals met at Bizerta to arrange details of the Nyon agreement to combat piracy in the Mediterranean. ITALY’S INTERVENTION M.ADE PUBLIC MEDALS FOR CASUALTIES’ FAMILIES ROME, October 29. Italian intervention in Spain was publicly recognized when Signor Mussolini, at a vast gathering in the Piazza Zenezia, distributed medals to the families of Italians who in Spain had “fallen for the ideals of the fascist Fatherland.” A German delegation and representatives of General Franco, the rebel leader, stood beside II Duce as weeping mothers filed past and aeroplanes roared overhead.