Evening star., 1935-10-19
Understanding
Reached With
France.
PEACE SUCCESS
STILL LACKING
Geneva Terms and
Duce's Demands
UnrecOnciled.

Copyright 1898. by the Associated Press.)
LONDON, October 19.-Great Brit
ain intends to maintain her battle
feet in the Mediterranean, authorita L.
tive sources said today, despite an cas-
ing of the Italo-Britis;l tension and a
definite understanding with France
The British government was rep
resented as feeling that Premier Laval
of France has definitely removed any
misunderstanding which previously
existed between Great Britain and
France.
These authorities said, however,
that since no progress vet had been
made toward the settlement Of the
main issue-the Italo-Ethiopian War
the Mediterranean feet would have
to remain at its present bases al
though it was possible that q few
ships might later be removed from
Gibraltar as q conciliatory gesture.
No Progress Toward Peace.
It was stated in informed quarters
that the diplomatic conversations now
in progress in Rome and in Paris were
all designed to clear up side issues
and that there had been no progress
toward peace between Italy and
Ethiopia.
So far as the British government
is aware, it was stated, there still
remains a great gap between Premier
Mussolini,s demands in Ethiopia and
terms which would be acceptable to
the League Of Nations.
1t was authoritatively stated that
Sir Eric Drummond, the British AM
bassador to Rome, was undertaking to
remove q feeling in Italy that Great
Britain contemplated military action
against Italy and that he also was
trying to impress on II Duce that
British warships were in the Mediter-
ranean only for precautionary reasons.
The question Of trading" the re-
moval Of Italian troops from Libya
for British naval reductions In the
Mediterranean had not entered into
his conversations, it was stated.
Authoritative sources said Sir Eric
bluntly told II Duce that Great Britain
was acting at Geneva only in response
to her conceptions Of what was re-
quired Of her as signator Of the
League Covenant and that the sug-
gestions Of British hostility to Italy
were wholly without foundation.
Note Held Favorable.
These sources said q note from La
val answering a British query as to
the French governments attitude in
the present international crisis would
not be made public. but that it is to
be regarded as favorable.
These same authorities said that
the present conversations which the
British Ambassador to Rome, Sir Eric
was undertaking with
Premier Mussolini. were designed sole
ly to clear up dangerous misunder-
standings with that Mediterranean
power.
These MISUNDERSTANDING, 1t was
specified, regarded Grea. Britain's in
tentions concerning the Italo- Ethio-
plan war.
Informed quarters said that as q
result 1t was to be hoped that the
tension "artificially created outside
Geneva" would be relaxed.
A joint .Anglo-Italian communique
on the subject was expected to be
published later today.
European Situation Gained.
Great Britain, working through Dip
lomatic channels to Rome and Paris,
succeeded in calming the serious Euro
pean situation arising from the Italo-
Ethiopian War, but nevertheless an
nounced reorganization of its army
high command.
Gen. Sir Cyril John Deverell, 81,
general officer commanding the east
ern command since 1888, was ap-
pointed chief of the imperial general
staff in succession to Field Marshal
(See LONDON, Page ~