COMMENT IN BRITAIN

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 242, 12 October 1937, Page 7

COMMENT IN BRITAIN

EFFECT OF ITALIAN REPLY TO NOTE ABANDONMENT OF NONINTERVENTION. [ British Official Wireless.] RUGBY, Oct. 10. British consideration of the Italian Note will enter a more active phase, including probably consultations with France, with Mr. A. Eden’s return from Balmoral to the Foreign Office. Meantime only semi-official and unofficial comment on the Note is obtainable. The Anglo-French proposal involved no hard and fast procedure for conversations between the three Governments, and, if an actual conference between representatives of the three Powers seemed unsuitable to Italy, the way was left open for alternative methods of exchanging views. Italy objects to the failure to include Germany in the conversations. Neither Britain nor France could have any reason for excluding Germany, except the obvious one that the inclusion of Germany would necessitate the Inclusion of other Powers, including Russia, with the result that the new procedure would have tended to become as dilatory and difficult as the old. It would have been perfectly easy and proper for Italy to keep Germany fully and continuously informed regarding the progress of the conversations.

The Italian Note claims that Italy and Germany took the first initiative in the matter of non-Spanish participants in the civil war, but newspaper commentators recall the question raised by them at the time when it concerned only a trickle of genuine volunteers to both sides and before it had become the most serious aspect of foreign intervention. A London cable message states that the Sunday Times says that the opening of the French frontier will be of little help to the Valencia Government, the natural channel for the transit of arms from France being by sea, where convoys would be necessary, involving the possibility of incidents. The Observer says that England and France have already consulted about the line to be taken. It is emphasised in British official quarters that there is no definite understanding with France, but, if France adheres to her decision and the British Government formally signifies approval, the whole pretence of non-inter-vention will be abandoned. Decision on the action to follow the Italian Note is expected within a few days.