PLANS TO COUNTER PIRACY

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20829, 10 September 1937, Page 9

PLANS TO COUNTER PIRACY

EARLY ACTION URGED ANGLO-FRENCH PLAN OUTLINED ITALY AND GERMANY CONFER United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright ISTANBUL, September 8. An unknown submarine, flying insurgent colours, is reported to have stopped the Socony-Vacuum Company’s British oil tanker Pegasus in the neighbourhood of Rhodes Island, but allowed the vessel to proceed. NO CHANGE IN PLAN ANGLO-FRENCH ATTITUDE British Official Wireless (Received September 9, 6.30 p.m.) RUGBY, September 8. The advance party of the United Kingdom delegation to the League meeting at Geneva left London this morning. The Foreign Secretary (Mr R. A. Eden), who will lead the delegation to the Assembly at Geneva, and also the delegation to the Nyon Conference, at which the Powers will discuss piracy in the Mediterranean, will leave London to-morrow by air for Paris, where he will be the guest at a dinner of the Prime Minister (M. Chautempts), M. Delbos and M. Leon Blum. In London there is no suggestion of any change to the plans for the conference, as a result of the tension which has arisen between Italy and Russia. The keynote of the press comment this morning on the conference is that its object is severely practicable, and that the urgency of its task and the common interest of all Powers in its accomplishment, leave no room for recriminations and partisanship. “The Times” thinks that the divisions between the Powers, according to their political sympathies,' <s already serious enough. It says: ‘“The procedure now offered is designed to restrict those divisions by concentrating international effort upon a practical task. Is any country prepared to defend the sinking of unarmed merchantmen at sight, and—if anything could heighten its barbarism—in time of peace? If not, what remains but complete technical measures for its prevention? Nyon is offered as a meeting place for action, not recriminations.” Both “The Times” and “The Morning Post” make it clear that if doubts and suspicions delay or prevent the acceptance of the Anglo-French invitations, Britain will have no recourse but to adopt drastic independent measures for the safety of her shipping. ITALO-GERMAN REACTION JOINT NOTES TO GO TO LONDON United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, September 8. Messages from Rome and Nuremburg indicate the close of the ItalianGerman consultation, after which it is suggested Notes are to be sent to London to the Non-Intervention Committee that it is the proper place to consider the Mediterranean problem. Whether such action will Involve a definite rejection of the invitations is not known, but no doubt if Italy refuses Germany will do likewise. Anyway, Germany may consider the time too short to permit of attendance.

There is no Indication of any departure by England and France from the decision to proceed with the conference “whatever happens.” The inclusion of naval authorities in delegations suggests proposals to deal largely with technical problems.