BRITAIN BLAMED

Taranaki Daily News, 17 October 1935, Page 5

BRITAIN BLAMED

OPINIONS OF ITALIANS “DELIBERATE HOSTILITY” “FEAR OF FASCIST ITALY” PEACE HOPE UNANSWERED INTENTION IN ABYSSINIA

By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Rec. 11 p.m. London, Oct. 16. Peace hopes expressed in the French Press find no counterpart so far in Italian newspapers, says the Rome correspondent of the Times. On the contrary the British Government is represented as resolutely opposed to any conciliation attempts. The notion is now firmly embedded in the Italian mind that the present situation is not due to a conflict between Italy and the League, but to Britain’s deliberate hostility towards Fascist Italy, which has alarmed Britain by its resurrection under Signor Mussolini’s stimulating leadership and by the possibility that if once in undisputed possession of Abyssinia Italy might seriously menace British communications with the East.

. Nevertheless numbers of suggested peace solutions are being seriously propagated. The more reasonable suggest that Italy is ready to renounce the idea of conquering the whole of Abyssinia and is prepared to accept a mandate over the so-called “colonial empire” conquered by Menelik, but it is emphasised that Italy will never negotiate under the pressure of economic sanctions. On the other hand there are many who utterly disbelieve the possibility of any negotiations being resumed at present with any chance of success, some because they consider Italy means, to over-run a large section of Abyssinia before she will consent to think of negotiating, and others because they see no signs of Britain modifying the proposals already offered Italy. SANCTIONS SUPPORTED ATTITUDE OF AUSTRALIA THE PRINCIPLE ADOPTED Rec. 10.30 p.m. Canberra, Oct. 17. In the Ho se of Representatives today the Prme Minister, Mr. J. S. Lyons, announced that the Federal Government was prepared in principle to adopt the sanctions against Italy recommended by the League of Nations co-ordination committee under Article 16, removing all restrictions on the export of arms and munitions to Abyssinia and prohibiting the export of arms and munitions to Italy, and the stoppage of bank credits and other forms of financial assistance to Italy.