IMPORTANT MOVES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 289, 7 December 1939, Page 7

IMPORTANT MOVES

! ATTITUDE TO LEAGUE I ! SPAIN AND ITALY MIGHT | RETURN I ALLIES EMBARRASSED (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) Received Dec. 6, 5.15 p.m. LONDON, Dec. 5. j Finland’s appeal to the League .■ of Nations is leading to ini- ‘ portant developments. It is assumed that Russia is de- • parting from Geneva either i willingly or unwillingly, and according to the Geneva corres- ' pondent of the Associated Pre»‘>s I of Great Britain some quarters ; openly predict that Spain and i Italy might then return to the | League. The South American i nations are expected to assist in i any such move, and are strongly advocating support for Finland, | Spain is technically still a member jof the League for a further 18 months. In accordance with the two years’ notice provision, Italy ceases to be a member on December 12—three days after the date on which the Council is expected to meet. A Rome report says that Signor I Gayda, writing in the Giornale d’ltalia, recalls the sanctions imposed against Italy and says: “Finland has a right to demand that the League apply sanctions against Russia. The Finnish appeal will be most instructive as regards the orientation of minds in Europe. There still exists the power to Institute sanctions against aggressors. Finland is independent and the Russian aggression was not provoked.” The Manchester Guardian says that Finland’s appeal has caused some embarrassment to Britain and France and that it is by no means certain that justice will be done to the Finnish cause, as so many small Powers are under Russian and German domination. Yugoslavia has announced that she will not attend the meeting of the League Council. BRITISH ATTITUDE STATEMENT TO BE MADE [ British Official Wireless ] RUGBY, Dec. 5. Asked in the House of Commons whether the Government supported the request of the Finnish Government for a meeting of the League Council, Mr. Chamberlain said that the action of the Finnish Government was taken on its own initiative. The Council had been summoned for Saturday, December 9, and it was anticipated that the Assembly would meet on December 11. The Government would be represented by the Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Butler, who would make a statement on Britain's behalf.