GRAVE SITUATION

Waikato Times, Volume 118, Issue 19661, 22 August 1935, Page 7

GRAVE SITUATION

ACTIVITY IN BRITAIN

CONFERENCE OF MINISTERS. WILL CONTINUE NEGOTIATIONS. United Press Assn.—-Elec. Tel. Copyright (Received Aug. 22. 10.40 a.m.)' LONDON, Aug. 2i. Activity at 10 Downing Street continues. Me George Lansbury, Leader of the Labour Party, conferred with Sir Samuel Hoare, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. On arriving from Lossiemouth, Mr Ramsay MacDonald said the position was the gravest we have had to face since 1914. When Mr Stanley Baldwin, Prime Minister, arrived, a meeting with Mr MacDonald, Sir S. Hoaro, Mr R. A. Eden, Mr Neville Chamberlain, and others was held Immediately. Well-informed opinion states that the Government has no intention of suggesting an emergency meeting of the League of Nations, but will continue diplomatic negotiations until the . Geneva meeting on September 4. INSTRUCTIONS TO DELEGATES. EXPORTATION OF ARMS. {Official Wireless.) (Received Aug. 22, 12.30 p.m-) RUGBY, August 21. It is anticipated that at to-morrow’s Cabinet meeting the report on the Paris conversations will be discussed and a general discussion of the situation will follow. iFurlher meetings of the Cabinet will be found necessary for formulating instructions to the British representatives at the League Council meeting on September 4, and for the question of the export of arms to Italy and Abyssinia. THE DOMINIONS CONSULTED. \ GREAT GRAVITY OF SITUATION. FULL STORY OF PARIS FAILURE. United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright. (Received Aug. 22, 11 a.m.) LONDON, Aug. 21. To-day’s meeting of the British and Dominion representatives was the forerunner of a number that will be held before September 4 regarding (he Abyssinian situation. It was held principally with the object of imparting the full story of the Paris failure to the Dominions, also in accordance with the established principle of a close liaison with the Dominions when a decision on international policy is pending. Sir Samuel Iloare and Mr R. A. Eden left the High Commissioners in no doubt regarding the extreme gravity of the situation. The Dominion representatives were offered an opportunity of expressing their tentative views, hut pending tomorrow’s 'Cabinet meeting, the consultations have not reached a stage at which Britain will take soundings of the extent to which moral and material support might he expected from the EmpireThe Cabinet’s own decision cannot be made until the sanction and antisanction elements in It are reconciled-

It will probably be a week before the High Commissioners are in a position to seek instructions.

While there Is ample evidence . of Interest In the situation by all the Dominions the Australian Associated Press learns that none has yet expressed an opinion to Whitehall. MILITARY PREPARATIONS. ITALY ORDERS INTENSIFICATION. 1000 AEROPLANES PLANNED. % United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright. LONDON, Aug. 21. The News Chronicle’s Rome correspondent states that in consequence of reports from East Africa that the rains are ceasing, Signor Mussolini has ordered an intensification of Italy’s military preparations. Ten thousand troops will sail from Naples this week in 15 reconditioned liners recently boughL for breaking tip from Britain, Canada, the United States and Germany. Tim Daily Telegraph’s Rome correspondent says it is estimated that by I lie end of September Italy will have 1000 aeroplanes. QUESTION OF SANCTIONS. TO BE DISCUSSED BY LEAGUE. RISK OF APPLYING PRESSURE. (Times Cable.) LONDON, Aug. 21. The Paris correspondent of the Times says only lime will show whether llie Council of the League of Nations, on September i, wilt recommend sanctions against Italy. If it does they will at first bo passive economic sanctions, consisting essentially of cutling off such supplies of raw materials and credit as are not cut off already. However, tne Council also will have lo weigh most carefully the .jusliee of Ihe contention that lliere is no form of sanction that may nol mean war. The risks of apply any kind of pressure to a country in the present mood and eondilion of Italy are obvious. Closing of Suez Canal. The most effective measure which could he used to prevent an Italian conquest of Abyssinia would he the 4CaQtlauea ju next oiv.am.l_

closing of the Suez Canal to Italian ships, but the Council first would have to vote an executive mandate to the Powers which possess the necessary naval forces —namely, France and Britain.

Navally the task of enforcing such a measure would not be beyond Britain if she made up her mind, hut with half a million men under training in Northern Italy and a French army of 300,000, designed for quite a different objective, the French Prime Minister,' M. Laval, may he excused if he exercise the utmost caution at Geneva.

On the other hand there is no question of the British Government undertaking isolated action. The question of (lie application of sanctions, therefore, becomes a problem of peculiar complexity. RED CROSS EXPEDITION. TO BE SENT TO ABYSSINIA. BRITISH AND AMERICAN PLANS. United Press Assn.— Elec. Tel. Copyright (Received Aug. 22, 12.40 p.m.) 'LIONDON, Aug. 21. The Chronicle says Dr. Dawson, Dr. Penn, and other eminent doctors'interested are planning to send a British Red Cross expedition to Abyssinia. An appeal for funds will shortly bfe launched to send two units, comprising twenty-four doctors, one hundred orderlies, ambulances and hospital equipment. An American, Dr. Torrance, is organising an Abyssinian Red Cross, assisted by gifts of medical supplies from leading American drug firms. EFFECT ON STOCK EXCHANGE. MATERIAL LOSSES SUSTAINED. United Preso Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright (Received Aug. 22, 1.20 p.m.) LONDON, Aug. 21. News of the Ministers’ Conference and Mr Ramsay MacDonald’s reference to 1914 weakened sentiment on the London Stock Exchange, and quotations in many directions closed with material losses on the day. GENERAL MOBILISATION. RECRUITING SPEEDED UP. DIVISIONS SENT TO FRONTIER. United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright (Received Aug. 22, 1 p.m.) LONDON, Aug. 21. The Daily Mail’s Addis Ababa correspondent says it is understood that a meeting of Ministers and triba 1 chieftains uicided on general mobilisation. Recruiting'has hem speeatd up, and two i nr 1 her divisi ma have been sent to ihc Italian frontier. BLACK SHIRT BUTTONHOLES. SOLD BY JAPANESE. PROTEST BY ITALIAN PRESS. United Press Assn.—-Elec. Tel. Copyright. LONDON, Aug. 21. The Daily Telegraph’s Rome correspondent says the press comments angrily on "reports from Cairo that Japanese are doing a roaring trade at Suez in the sale of Black Shirt doll buttonholes to outgoing Italian troops. Also they are selling them In largo quantities in Eritrea and Italian Somaliland. Each buttonhole has a favourite Fascist slogan such as: “Long Live Mussolini" and “Abyssinia is ours." The newspapers are asking how the Japanese can turn lliem out al one shilling each, whereas lliey cost almost three limes as much in Rome. iTALY’B GOLD RESERVE. BIG DROP REPORTED. United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright. LONDON, Aug. 21. The Daily Telegraph’s Rome correspondent says u Treasury statement reveals that the gold reserve has fallen by another 113,340,000 and lias reached a new low lcv«i of £84,000,00U,