The Waikato Times TUESDAY, MAY 12, 1936. BROKEN PLEDGES

Waikato Times, Volume 119, Issue 19883, 12 May 1936, Page 6

The Waikato Times TUESDAY, MAY 12, 1936. BROKEN PLEDGES

The nations of Europe, at the present time, have lost confidence in the agreements, treaties and poets upon which the stabilisation of the Continent was b'e'lieved to depend. The two chief offenders are Germany and Italy, and in both countries public opinion is strongly repressed. The people are fed on news, or alleged news, that has been carefully censored and any criticism is regarded as evidence of lack of patriotism and ruthlessly crushed. It has been stated that the Italian people do not yet know that the economic sanctions ln'lDOsed by the League of Nations have virtually closed the largest markets to Italian goods. In the first two months of 1935 Britain bought Italian cheese to the value of £60,000, nuts and canned tomatoes to the value of £76,000: sulphur and hides worth £67,000, chemicals worth £30,000 and textiles £313,000. These items of trade disappeared in the first two months of the current year. The cause is the utter disregard of treaties by the Fascist leader. In 1923 Italy pressed for the admission of Abyssinia to the League of Nations, and that implied recognition of the rights contained in the f-‘mous Covenant. Those rights have been set aside by force. Then, in 1928, Italy and Abyssinia concluded a treaty of

“friendship, conciliation rind arbitration.” both countries beine nledeed not to take any action “detrimental to the independence of the other.” That, mutually negotiated treaty has been jettisoned. Instead, Signor Mussolini, in one of his perfervid speeches early in the trouble, said that he would go forward “with Geneva, without Geneva, or against Geneva,” and he has been as good as his word in that respect. There have been the usual charges of lack of good faith on the part of the smaller State, of excesses and of provocation, but a competent British observer said that if the Italian claims were examined they made the charge that the Emperor of Ethiopia “ by ordering withdrawal of his own troops on his own territory had committed a provocative act.” As a result of these acts of defiance of national pledges Italy has created difficulties of an exceptional nature. Can the signatories of the Covenant acquiesce in a. policy that has robbed a member of the League of Nations of its independence"! It is extremely difficult to locate a course likely to ensure justice, but it is just possible that a lead may come from a quarter outside Europe. The United States really set a precedent when it adopted the Stimson policy of non—recognition of States created by force of arms. To-day Mnnchukuo is formally recognised by only one State in the world, a small Central American republic. It has been stated that the South American republics may adopt a similar course with regard to Abyssinia, and the decision of the French and United States Governments to retain their embassies at Addis Abaha is significant. It is evident that the smaller States in Europe are waiting for a declaration of British policy, so that the responsibility resting on Mr Eden at Geneva will be tremendous. The maintenance of the policy of sanctions at Geneva would rouse the anger of Italy, and renewed agreements with Germany may be sought, but oflicial circles at Home have commented on the fuct that Herr Hitler has made no attempt to sabotage the sanctions policy and may hesitate before he risks all possibility of friendly relations with Great Britain. Quite apart from the problems created by broken treaties are diplomatic issues of first importance, and this week may see decisions made that will influence the course of history in Europe.