INTERVENTION IN SPAIN.

Wairarapa Age, 21 October 1937, Page 5

INTERVENTION IN SPAIN.

DEADLOCK ONCE AGAIN THREATENED. MR. EDEN STRONGLY URGES > EXPEDITION. ADJOURNMENT FOR A DAY. LONDON, October 20. A deadlock again appears to have threatened the Non-Intervention Committee, to-day’s meeting revealing that the Soviet, the Italians and the Germans are in the same position as in July, when they clashed on the point of whether belligerent rights should precede the withdrawal of volunteers from Spain.

HEAVY ODDS. CHANCES OF AGREEMENT SADLY SMALL. (Received Wednesday, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, October 20. Mr. Eden will report on the situation at this morning’s meeting of Cabinet. “The Times” diplomatic correspondent says an attempt was made until a late hour to .find a compromise acceptable' to all Powers represented on the Committee, but it was recognised on all sides that the chances even of partial agreement were sadly small. The "Daily Herald’s" diplomatic correspondent puts the odds against agreement at a thousand' t.o -one. REBELS DIGGING TRENCHES. ALONG FRENCH FRONTIER. WARSHIPS LEAVE TOULON FOR BALEARIC. PARIS, October 19. The insurgents are fortifying and digging trenches along the French frontier. The French fleet leaves Toulon to-day for manoeuvres in the vicinity of the Balearic Islands. “ L’Humanite ” says that two crippled- Italian submarines have put in at Naples.

The meeting was held at the Foreign Office, and lasted three hours. In the absence of Herr von Ribbentrop, who is consulting Herr Hitler at Berchtesgaden, the German view was presented by Dr. Woerman, Charge d'Affaires. The Rt. Hon. Anthony Eden, reviewing the discussions before the adjournment, pointed out that the Soviet adhered to the view that belligerent rights must be dependent on the withdrawal of all volunteers. Italy wanted the rights granted before the withdrawal of any volunteers, but was willing to submit the point to the parties in the Spanish conflict. Mr Eden said he appreciated the goodwill shown to-day, but the question remained, how to bridge the gap. The situation was serious, and it was not wise to adjourn sine die before reaching an agreement. The committee adjourned until tomorrow, hoping in the meantime that some method will be devised of getting those divided closer together. GRANDI SPRINGS SURPRISE. SoOn after the meeting opened Count Grandi (Italy) sprang a surprise by suggesting that the Committee should revert to the British proposal of July 14, on which he did not think the French plan was any improvement. Dr. Woermann (Germany) warmly supported Count Grandi, but Czechoslovakia, Belgium, and Sweden supported the French plan. The'Portuguese delegate stressed the desirability of the granting of belligerent rights to the insurgent leader General Franco as early as possible. Portugal was prepared, he added, to reinstate frontier control provided France took similar action in the Pyrenees. M. Maisky (Russia) said that the French proposals meant the continuation of the same policy with no guarantee of greater efficacy, or for the provision of effective control. Acceptance of the proposals would only create the opportunity for further endless discussion under cover of which the supply of arms and men to the rebels would continue. The Soviet therefore regretted that it could not accept the slightest degree of responsibility for such a policy, which had already proved its worthlessness and which had detrimentally and iniquitously reacted on the legitimate Spanish Government, but if the British, French, and other Governments still believed there was a possibility of success the Soviet did not intend to create any difficulties. (The British Government's proposals of July 14, prepared at the request of the Non-Intervention Committee and aiming at closing the present gaps in the control scheme and enabling the policy of non-intervention in Spain to be continued, provided that the naval patrol be discontinued and replaced by establishment, with the consent of both parties in the civil war, of international officers at Spanish ports. They also provided for observers on ships visiting Spain, for the immediate restoration of supervision of the land frontiers, for all Governments to recognise belligerent rights at sea for both the Spanish parties, and for all foreign nations to be withdrawns. Britain sought an authorisation to enter immediately on discussion with both sides in Spain.)