IS IT DEAD?

Waikato Times, Volume 118, Issue 19763, 19 December 1935, Page 9

IS IT DEAD?

THE PEACE PLAN. IF REJEOTED BY BELLIGERENTS. WILL NOT PURBUE IT FURTHER. United Press Assn. —Elec. Tel. CopyrJgM, (Received Deo. 19, 11.0 a.m.) LONDON, Deo. 18. The speeches of Mr R. A. Eden and M. Laval at Geneva are regarded as admissions that the peaoe plan Is dead. Mr Eden said that if either Italy, Abyssinia, or the League of Nations rejeoted the plan Britain would not pursue it further. THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS. THE PROPOSALS EXPLAINED. STATEMENT 'BY MR EDEN. APPROVAL OF LEAGUE NECESSARY tomclal Wireless.' (Received Dec. 19, 1.0 p.m.) RUGBY, Dec. 18. The Council of the League _ of Nations met at Geneva this morning, but the Italo-Abyssinian question will not be discussed until this afternoon’s session. Atr R. A. Eden and M. Laval, who travelled by the same train to Geneva, did not attend the morning session of the Council, but met privately to discuss the attitude to be taken at this afternoon’s debate. The League Council met in public session this evening. At the outset tributes were paid to Dr. Benes, who was to-day sworn in as President of the Czecho-Slovak Republic. Mr Eden’s Speech. Mr Eden recalled the approval given by the Co-ordination Committee to the attempts to find a basis of discussion between Ethiopia and Italy, leading to the efforts of the French and British Governments to find such a basis, culminating in the Paris proposals. He said: “ It has been in the minds of the two Governments an essential condition that before finally pressing any terms of settlement upon the parties those terms should be approved by the League of Nations, for members of tlie League are bound to respect and to do their utmost to apply the Covenant. H was not an easy task which the two Governments undertook, and iL may well be maintained that it lias been at the present juncture of events ail almost impossible task. “It was proper that an attempt should be made, however. For that 1 make no apologies. Even if this attempt is to be unsuccessful the essential aim of conciliation remains, as the League has frequently recognised the principle. It must be emphasised that the Paris proposals were not advanced as proposals to be insisted on in any event. They were advanced in order to ascertain what the views of tlie three parties might be upon them, and tlie British Government recommended them only for this purpose. “ If, therefore it transpires that these proposals which are now before you do not represent the essential conditions of the agreement by the three parties the British Government could not continue to' recommend or support them. “ In their minds this particular attempt at a solution would not have been regarded as having achieved its object and they for their part would not wish to pursue it further.” M. Laval’s Achievement. Mr Eden was followed by M. Laval, who endorsed the former’s account of (lie spirit in which the proposals were made, lie continued: " We still do not know the reception which tlie other two parties will give our suggestions, and I suggest that during this wait the Council itself will desire to avoid making a definite decision. Nevertheless, 1 esteem il my duty to declare at this time tiiat if Ihesc attempts do not meet with the assent of all the interested parlies the Council will have to make up its mind not to neglect any means to find a peaceful settlement for tlie present conflict, a solution which will he hones! and one which lias as its basis Ihe peace of the world.” Ethiopia’s Trust in League. The only other speaker before the Council adjourned was the Ethiopian representative, Woide .Marian, who said Abyssinia had pul ils case before llie League in the trust that il would settle Ihe conflict in accordance with the principle and spirit of tlie Covenant. The Covenant must he respected. Abyssinia could not accept a peaoe of capitulation or spoliation. She asked for the judgment of tlie League Assembly, but would respect the decision of the Council. The Italian member of the Council did not attend the session. The Council Adjourns. Tlie President adjourned the Council, saying that as long as the attitude of Italy and Abyssinia remained undefined members would doubtless prefer lo examine tlie question at another sitting. Geneva press messages suggest that tlie Council may meei in private tomorrow and in public on Friday. ITALIAN DELEGATE WITHDRAWS. ATMOSPHERE OF EXCITEMENT. United Press Assn —Klee. Tel. Copyright. (Received Dec. 19, 1.0 p.m.) GENEVA, Dec. IS. The Council of tlie League of Nations met privately in an atmosphere of suppressed excitement and waited lb minutes while Hie Italian delegate sought instructions from Rome whether to sit ul the table. As none arrived lie withdrew. The Council thon merely adoplcd the report of Hie Comniiilee recommending Hie selllemcnl of Assyrian refugees in rsyria. Tlie Ethiopian delegate handed the Secretarial a long note showing that Hie Hoarc-Laval terms were impossible from the viewpoint of Ethiopia,