LEAGUE ASSEMBLY.

Wairarapa Age, 2 July 1936, Page 5

LEAGUE ASSEMBLY.

Historic Session Opened. ITALIAN MEMORANDUM READ HAILE SELASSIE ADDRESSES DELEGATES. WAR OF CONQUEST DENOUNCED. RUGBY, June 30. The special session of the Assembly of the League of Nations called to consider the question of sanctions and relations with Italy commenced this evening. It was opened by Mr. Anthony Eden, who at the outset occupied the chair owing to the resignation of the chairman of the Assembly (Dr. Benes). The first business was the election of a successor to Dr. Benes, and by 47 votes to 4 M. Van Zeeland, the Belgian Prime Minister, was elected. The Italian memorandum to the League was first read. It stated that the Italian Government had already shown the Council of the League the situation which existed in Abyssinia, and added that Italy was always willing to consider favourably all the League's initiatives. The Hoare-Laval plan had failed through no fault of Italy, and after the appeal of the Committee of Thirteen on March 3, the Italian troops took no initiative in military operations during that month. The memorandum proceeds: “The need to be raised to a more human standard of living is deeply felt and claimed by the Ethiopian population, which has given tangible proof of this by rising against the regime of the Negus and by welcoming the Italian troops as heroes and liberators of justice, civilisation, and order.”

Italy, it continues, views the work she has undertaken in Ethiopia as a sacred mission of civilisation, and projoses to carry it out according to the principles of the Covenant of the League and of other international documents which set forth the duties and tasks of civilising Powers. Italy assures equitable treatment to the native populations by promoting their moral and material well-being, and states that natives should not be compelled to undertake other military duties than local policing and territorial defence. Measures will be taken to guarantee the freedom of all countries. Italy will consider it an honour to inform the League of Nations of the progress achieved in her work of civilising Ethiopia. After expressing the conviction that the League requires reform, the memorandum says that Italy is ready to take her part in such work. In conclusion, the memorandum says that the Italian Government cannot but recall the abnormal situation in which Italy had been placed and the necessity for immediate removal of such obstacles as have been and are in the way of international co-operation, which Italy sincerely seeks, and to which she is prepared to give a tangible contribution for the sake and maintenance of peace. Discussion was opened by the Argentine delegate, who was followed by the Negus. Speaking in Amharic, Haile Selassie said there was no example of a Chief of State coming to the floor of the Assembly, but never before had the League had. an example of a nation being threatened with being erased from the map by the most barbarian methods of warfare yet known. It had been a pure and simple war of conquest, which was forbidden by the Covenant and by civilisation. It was for that reason that he came to Geneva to defend the independence of his people. He felt it was his duty as Emperor to discharge this supreme duty after having himself fought at the head of his army.—(British Official Wireless).