Wairarapa Times-Age TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1939. A MISTAKE IN MINORCA.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 February 1939, Page 4

Wairarapa Times-Age TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1939. A MISTAKE IN MINORCA.

WHILE representatives of the opposed Spanish parties were engaged in peace discussions at Port Mahon, in Minorca, oil Wednesday last, Italian bombing planes were used in an attempt to break up the negotiations. These negotiations no doubt related only Io the surrender, on terms, of the island ol: Minorca, hitherto held for the Republican Government of: Spain, but the onslaught of the Italian bombers, which are stated to have wrecked thirty houses and killed several poisons, is on that account so much Hie more significant. The report of Captain Muirhead Gould, of the British cruiser Devonshire, on which negotiations between the .Spanish parties were, conducted at Minorca, mentions that his sole condition for helping to bring the parties together was an understanding' that there should be no bombing and no executions.” Nevertheless, bombing started on AVednesday last, while the envoys were negotiating for the surrender ol: the’town (Port Mahon). Captain Muirhead Gould sent two telegrams of protest to Burgos and he has stated that the first of these was not answered “and the second brought the reply that the action was a mistake.” The bombing, however, did not cease, and the Devonshire embarked refugees and departed. It is not to be supposed that General Franco ordered the bombing of Port Mahon while his envoys were negotiating there, and the only conclusion that seems possible in the circumstances is that the bombing planes acted under the instructions of the Italian Government and without reference to General Franco or his Government at Burgos. It is thus indicated that Italy, under Signor Mussolini’s leadership, is determined to do everything in her power to prevent peace.by agreement between the parties in Spain. The immediate effect is"to make it more than ever difficult to regard General Franco as anything more than an instrument of Italian and German policy and to cast the strongest doubt upon Italian and German assurances of a readiness to withdraw' from Spain as soon as General Franco’s victory is complete. The facts of the position ’were very well brought out in some extracts from an article by Signor Virginio Gayda. Signor Mussolini’s “mouthpiece,” which were quoted in one of yesterday’s cablegrams. According to Signor Gayda, Italy does not presume to suggest that Spain should mould her new regime on Fascism. In a later passage of his article, however, the Italian journalist accused England and France of attempting to dptech Spain from solidarity with Italian and German influence by encircling her with British and French influence. It is here made plain that Italy and Germany are intent on reducing Spain to the status of an obedient satellite, and that Signor Mussolini, in particular, has been roused to fury by the fear that a peaceful composition of what is left of the so-called civil war may weaken in some degree the grip the Fascist Powers have fastened on Spain. , In the extent to which Britain and France are successful in their aim of promoting a peaceful settlement between the Spanish factions and averting further hostilities, Italian ami German plans looking to the subjugation and domination of Spain at least will be endangered. The sooner Spaniards cease from slaughtering one another and turn to the reconstruction of their country, the better prospects they will have of re-estab-lishing their national independence. Meanwhile, however, the bombing of Port Mahon in an effort to break up peace negotiations is an unpleasant reminder that the critical issues which centre on Spain arc far from having been resolved. No doubt, this outrageous act. of violence implies a fear on Signor Mifssolini’s part of the consequences of allowing Spaniards to settle their remaining differences peacefully. At the same time, the Fascist hold on Spain is strong and will not easily be broken. The principal question now raised perhaps is whether Nazi Germany is prepared to go as far as Signor Mussolini evidently is in maintaining that hold. IMPORT CONTROL IN BRITAIN. yOT long ago the Federation of British Industries angrily attacked the institution in New Zealand of a policy of import control, denounced that policy as a breach ol the Ottawa Agreement and more than hinted at reprisals. .Logically and as a matter of justice, the Federation of British Industries ought now to have something to say in condemnation of the action said to be contemplated by the British Minister of Agriculture (Sir Reginald Dorman-Smith), who has failed to bring Australia and New Zealand to agreement on the question of reducing exports of mutton and land) to the knifed Kingdom and now intends, it is stated, to issue a restriction order over the heads of these Dominions. In the extent Io which that policy is enforced, its ultimate effects are likely to be. much more damaging to exporters of British manufactures than any action New Zealand has taken, or is likely Io lake, in restricting imports.

While sympathy must be felt with Britain’s desire to stabilise her Own agficullural product ion, it seems very doubtful, on available evidence, whether the restriction of imports from the Dominions will contribute to that stabilisation in any very important degree. In this age of cheap substitutes of various kinds —margarine for butter and so on—the imposition of restrictions on primary imports from the Dominions may do very little indeed to benefit the British farmer. The latter in many cases is getting much higher prices for his products than his opposite number in the Dominions and has correspondingly little to gain from the restricted admission of Dominion imports to the lOited Kingdom. On the other hand, every restriction of lliese imports must tend automatically to reduce British export trade and must impel the Dominions more and more, as a matter of self-preservation, to expedite the development of their own secondary industries.