Evening star., 1935-09-24
big 5" to Give
Report on
Ethiopia.
REASSURANCES
GIVEN IL DUCE
Aggressive Intent
in Ship Moves
Is Denied.
BY the Associated Press.

LONDON, September 24.-The Brit
ish cabinet met in two-hour session
today and decided, informed quarters
reported, to continue the Imperial
Defense Committee as a council Of
action until the Italo-Ethiopian sit
uation is further clarified.
The cabinet was adjourned subject
to call. No date was fixed for its
next meeting nor was any official an
nouncement made of today's decisions.
Meanwhile in Geneva, the big five"
committee, acknowledging defeat in
its efforts to find a basis for Solu-
tion of the crisis. turned in its report
to the League of Nations.
Committee Now Dies.
With the submission of the report
the committee, composed of repre-
sentatives of Spain, Great Britain,
France, Poland and Turkey, ceases to
exist.
1t was said in authoritative quar-
ters that the personal message of Sir
Samuel Hoare, British foreign secre-
tary, to Premier Mussolini, delivered
last night by the British Ambassador
to Rome, Sir Eric Drummond, had
received friendly response.
The message was intended 70 re-
move any miSapprehensions II Duce
may have regarding the relationship
between Italy and Great Britain in
the wake of the concentration of
British ships in the Mediterranean,
1t was explained.
Same as Communiquc.
The terms of the message, these
quarters said, were much the same
as those published by the communique
of last Sunday relative to Drum
mond,s conversations with Fulvio Su-
vich, undersecretary fer foreign af-
fairs.
The British Ambassador told Su-
vich that the presence of the fleet
was not intended to imply any hint
of aggression.
1t was emphasized that the for
lated to the issue under present ois-
cussion at Geneva.
1t was pointed out in informed
quarters that the week END action
already has had a noticeable bene-
fetal effect in Rome where the news
papers have apparently abandoned at
tacks on Great Britain. There is,
however, no indication in any quarter
that the British Navy will be with
drawn.
Wants 10 End Bickering.
Hoare decided to send MusSolini the
mess age, it was explained, in order
to give II Duce through personal con-
tact additional emphasis to the Brit
ish governments view that the Anglo
italian pickering, although without
actual foundation, should neverthe-
less be cleared up.
Military observers expressed belief
that continued Italian refusal to ac-
cept arbitration proposals, as basis
for discussion of the Ethiopian crisis,
combined with accelerated military
mobilization in Italy and a rapid
approach to the end of the Ethiopian
rainy season left an outbreak of war
in East Africa within a fortnight or
30 almost foregone conclusion.
The cabinet went into session soon
after II Duce called his ministers into
conference at Rome and while the
League Assembly was planning an
afternoon session at Geneva, all point
ing to the possibility of momentous
pronouncementS.
Sanctions Keynote OF Talks.
The possibility of applying sanctions
to avert war in East Africa, should
the League of Nations call on mem
bers to carry out their obligations
under the covenant. was expected gen.
orally to be the keynote of the cabinet
discussions.
They reflected little of the optimism
which was reported apparent in Brit
ish circles at Rome after Sir Eric
Drummond's assurances to Premier
Mussolini that +Britain's only interest
in the crisis was to uphold League
prestige.
The press appeared to be engulfed
In gloom, displaying small traces of
Its optimism of few days ago.
Ali newspapers featured the message
W ~ OuSC 4lDlu OIL odllluCl, uCllNcICQ
by the British Ambassador to Rome,
but they expressed little hope that it
would improve the situation materially.
Policy Believed Mapped.
Some quarters believed Britains
general policy in the event of recourse
by italy to war was being mapped out
by the cabinet. 1t appeared unlikely
that any far-reaching decisions, if
made, would be disclosed in view of
the governments opinion that the real
responsibility rested with the League.
The question Of strengthening the
nations armed forces was considered
likely to loom large in the discussions.
Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin
conferred last night with defense min
listers and chiefs of the services.
Comparing the proposals by the
League Committee Of Five to the Ital-
ian demands in East Africa, the au-
thoritative Times said editorially:
There can be small probability Of
reconciling this sweeping, plainly i'm
practicable, unreasonable program
with the considered, constructive COM
promise evolved by the committee"