DECLINES TO DISCUSS SPAIN

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 15, 11 October 1937, Page 5

DECLINES TO DISCUSS SPAIN

Threat by France to Open Her Frontier r m . i ■! m ■ i + UUCECALLS MEN TO THE COLOURS

By 'Electric Telegraph-

— United Press Association—

-Copyriglifc.

(Received 11, 8.5 a.m.) LONDON, Oct. 9. It is officially statod that Italy has refused to participate in the conference regarding Spain, to which Germany was not ipvited, and has suggested that the matter be referred to the Non-intervention Committee. According to a message from Home, the Italian reply handed to Britain and France is described as conciliator in tone. Diplomatie circles in Rome fear that the reply will create tha most tense situation since the putbreak of the Spanish war. Signor Mussolini's action in calling three classes of conseripts to th£ colours, in readincss for service ia any part of the world, is eonsidered to be alarming. t Official eomment in Rome describes the Note as constructive and as keeping the ball rolling by referring to the Non-interven-tion Committee 's leaving the responsibility to Britain and France. Diplomatie circles in London express regret at Italy's refusal to participate in the conference. They point out that Britain and France are willing to meet to the utm'dst the wishes of Italy with regard to the form the conversations should take. With regard to the Itaiian objection that Germany has not been invited, they say that Germany is not a Mediterranean Power and that if she were invited other Powers, notably Russia and Portugal, might desire inclusion, which would result in the personnel of the conference varying little from that of the Non-in-tervention Committee. ^ A message from Berlin says that political quarters give the fullest approval to the Note. A message from Paris states: "The Italian reply does not fulfil expectations/ ' M. Delbos, the Foreign Minister, told newspaper representatives to-day. ""The reply is not aggressive, it is even. conciliatory; but we must act. There inust be no further yiolations of non-intervention. j "We have no intention of excluding Germany. If Herr Hitler sent orders praisirig his troops in Spain, or if he had dispatched battalion orders to his troops, we should have approached Germany." M. Delbos denied allegations made by Signor Gayda (Signor Mussolini's monthpiece), adding that the French supplies to Spain were all legitimate and were not excluded under the non-interven-tion scheme. "If it were solely a Spanish question," M. Delbos added, "we would stand aside, but France is threatened." A later message from Paris says that the Italian reply will be regarded as entirely unacceptable, and that France will be opening the frontier, it is expected, in a few days. M. Chautemps, the Premier, and M. Le Brun are opposed to this step, but the majority of the members of the Cabinet favour it. Signor Gayda has a six-column editorial published in the Popolo d'ltalia, Milan, to-day. ' With the aid of Secret Service reports, Signor Gayda declares that Russian and French intervention has recently been intensified in Spain. He alleges that 8 898 volunteers arrived from France ih Juiy and August, and that/ 700 tous of war material are passing over the French frontier daily. A Russian brigade arrived on September 18. Signor Gayda asserts that Greek contrabandists have been f ormed into many companies in London and are using the British flag. The article contains a list and description of 154 steamers of various nationalities habitually running munitions from Marscilles to Spanish Government ports.