STARTLING REPORT

Taranaki Daily News, 4 September 1935, Page 5

STARTLING REPORT

EARLY WAR RUMOURED RUMOUR NOT CONFIRMED ANGLO-FRENCH PARLEYS DELEGATIONS TO GENEVA By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Rec. 9 p.m. London, Sept. 3. Startling reports spread at Paris yesterday that Signor Mussolini may declare war on Abyssinia without delay and confront the League of Nations Council with an accomplished fact. There is not the slightest confirmation of the report, though the fear is known to have been shared in official quarters. In the' meantime significant sidelights have been thrown on the talks between Mr. R. A. Eden and M. Laval by correspondents, several of whom stress France’s anxiety lest the enforcement of sanctions now will lead to the lack of enforcement on a future occasion when France might invoke the League’s aid. The Paris correspondent of the News Chronicle says Mr. Eden brought a report which he expected M. Laval to adopt as an Anglo-French document for presentation to the Council of the League. The correspondent states that M. Laval has no intention of appearing to create a common French-British front against Italy. He takes the view that Mr. Eden should present the report, which would then be open for French and Italian comments.

Sir Percival Phillips, the Daily Telegraph’s Addis Ababa correspondent, says the German and Swedish legations are constructing bomb-proof shelters with accommodation for 150 persons. Adequate plans have been made to protect the British legation. The Abyssinian headquarters on both fronts have been supplied with short-wave wireless sets to communicate with Addis Ababa. The wireless sets will supplement the traditional communication by beacons and drums.

The Rome correspondent of the Daily Telegraph says the Italian delegation left for Geneva confident of success. The delegation numbers from 23 to 30, with a large party of experts. Five hundred men and women at a meeting of the Italian Club at London greeted the names of London Italians who have volunteered for service in East Africa, and who have left or are leaving this week. A free fight broke out at a Fascist meeting at Liverpool against intervention on behalf of Abyssinia. A majority of the audience numbering 1000 left, after which there was another fight. Four people were injured, including William Spencer, a Fascist, who was knocked senseless.