ITALY’S REPLY AWAITED.

Waikato Times, Volume 118, Issue 19759, 14 December 1935, Page 7

ITALY’S REPLY AWAITED.

THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT. DEMANDS ON THE GOVERNMENT. OBLIGATIONS UNDER COVENANT. (Omcial Wireless.j (Received Dec. 14, 1 p.m.) RUGBY, Dec. 13. A reply is still awaited from Italy to tlie proposals providing a basis for negotiating a settlement of the ItaloAbyssinian dispute. Lord Davies has given notice of his intention to move in the House of Lords on Wednesday: “That this House will not assent to any settlement of the Italo-Ethiopian dispute which ignores our international obligations under the Covenant of the League by granting an aggressor State greater concessions after its unprovoked aggression than would have been obtained by peaceful negotiations." In House of Commons. The terms of the motion to be tabled by the Liberal section of the Opposition in the House of Commons state: “That this House condemns any settlement which violates the territorial integrity, or political and economic independence of Abyssinia in favour of a declared aggressor, and would regard any settlement on these lines as a betrayal of the League of Nations §nd as an act of national dishonour.” The Abyssinian Reply. It is stated that the Abyssinian reply to ‘the peace proposals, which have not yet been published, makes the most complete reservations, and declares that the proposals *are not acceptable to Abyssinia. Committee of Eighteen. > The Committee of Eighteen met this afternoon. , 'Mr R. A. Eden said, as he emphasised yesterday, that they had had two objectives before them—namely:— (1) Restoration of peace; (2) The Maintenance of the authority of the League.!

In pursuanoe of these objectives they had all found themselves obliged to take certain measures, the effective application of which was one of the tasks assigned to the Committee' of Eighteen. In making this application effective a committee of experts had rendered valuable service, and he would like to make it clear that so far as the British Government was concerned, it would continue to give all the assistance In its power in accordance with the undertaking given by the Prime Minister. A CRITICAL POSITION. GREAT VOLUME OF PROTESTS. - FEARS FOR MEDITERRANEAN. United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright. LONDON, Dec. 12. The political correspondent of the Manchester Guardian says that such dejection has seldom been seen in the House of Commons as when at last it was realised that the proposals represent- a considered act by the Cabinet.

Tho Morning Post says the Government is surprised at the volume of protests even among its own supporters.

The Daily Mail’s diplomatic correspondent describes Government members as being in the mood for revolt. The proposals shocked Air R. A. Eden, but he decided that he must •support Sir Samuel Iloare, especially In view of tho dangerous development of tlie situation In the Mediterranean.

It is suggested in high quarters that the Cabinet was also influenced by the situation In Egypt, where there is a unilcd front demanding that the 1930 treaty be carried out, giving virtual independence and necessitating Ihe wilhdrawal of British troops from Cairo and Suez Canal zones.