WELL PLEASED.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20625, 28 May 1935, Page 1

WELL PLEASED.

British View of League Council’s Work. ABYSSINIAN DISPUTE. British Official Wireless. (Received May 28, 1 p.m.) RUGBY, May 27. Mr Anthony Eden arrived in London from Geneva to-day. In an interview he said: “We have, I believe, every reason to be well pleased with the work of last week’s League Council. Three issues of very real importance were before us: Danzig, the Hungarian \ ugoslav dispute and the differences between Italy and Abyssinia. The difficulties in respect to Danzig have been appeased, the Hungarian-Yugo-slav dispute is now happily closed and the Italo-Abyssinia differences have been fairly set on the way to a settlement. “ In all these instances the League’s authority has been upheld and its ability to promote a peaceful settlement of international disputes has once again been exemplified. Our thanks are due to the wise statesmanship of the parties concerned and to those Governments who have contributed to these results.” Mr Eden was warmly cheered when he rqse in the House of Commons to answer the request made by Mr George Lansbury for a statement in regard to the proceedings at Geneva on the Italo-Ethiopian dispute. Afterwards Mr Lansbury asked to be allowed, in the name of the House, to congratulate the League Council and Mr Eden on the result of the conferences and negotiations, and to sav that he thought that every one in the House would hope that this was the first and most important step towards an equitable and permanent settlement of the dispute. In his statement Mr Eden recalled that before the League Council meeting the British Government was engaged in an active discussion with the other Governments chiefly concerned and during last week these continued between the Governments and between their representatives at Geneva. The proceedings before the Council indicated that the liberty of the arbitrators would not be limited. They might consider all the circumstances bearing upon the differences between the par ties. It was understood that actual delimitation of the frontier on the. ground would not be part of the arbitrators’ duties. This task, which would

no doubt take time, would be carried out in due course by a special ItaloEthiopian Boundary Commission. It was, however, satisfactory that both .parties had renewed their assurances to proceed to an agreed demarcation of the frontier as soon as their present differences had been peacefully settled. Without suggesting that the council s resolutions finally disposed of the tension between Italy and Ethiopia. Mr Eden said that he was confident that they represented an important advance towards a friendly solution. Both parties had accepted the cooperation of the League in seeking a settlement and by so doing the Governments concerned had made a contribution which, it was earnestly : hoped, would lead to an early restor- | ation of mutually satisfactory relations. But for the spirit of conciliation displayed by the Italian Government , and its representative at Geneva. Baron Aloisi, together with the invaluable co-operation of M. Laval, the pro- ; gress they were now able to record , could not have been realised.