Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-07-28
ITALY HINTS BOLT.
Of LEAGUE'S MOVE
TO AVERT CONFLICT
Rome's Note Defining Limits
of Councils Power
Arouses Fears.
IL DUCE Is HAILED
FOR BLOCKING GENEVA
Selassie Welcomes Effort OF
Powers to Find Peaceful
End in Dispute.
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
Italy agreed yesterday to attend the
League of Nations Council session
called for July 81 to discuss her
dispute with Ethiopia, but demand
ed, in effect, the right to dictate
what the Council talked about.
League officials at Geneva Immediately
expressed fear lest Italy bolt the
session. Great Britain, with Frances
tentative backing. has demanded
that the Council discuss all aspects
of the crisis.
At Adds Ababa. Emperor Halle Selassie
welcomed convoking of the Council.
reiterated Ethiopia's desire for peace.
Rome reported Eritrea, Italy's African
colony, was already under martha
law.
At London, an Italian official charged
Halle Selassie had designs upon
Italian territory in order to extend
his empire to the sea-"
BY the Associated Press.
GENEVA, July 27.-Fears were ex-
pressed tonight that Italy might bolt
the extraordinary session of the League
of Nations Council called today for
July 81, despite indications from Rome
that Italy would be represented.
This might happen, some observers
said, if the Council orders a genera.
investigation of the Italo-Ethiopian
conflict, as Ethiopia has asked.
Secretary General J. A. C. Avenol
Of the League, after frantic telephone
calls to Rome and careful study of two
Italian notes. was unable to determine
definitely whether or not Italy would
attend.
Nevertheless he advised Maxim
Litvinoff. president of the Council, to
call the session for July 81.
Conditions Set Forth.
Italians who studied the Italian
notes said they contained reservations
designed to restrict the Council agenda
1t appeared to them, they said. that
Italy wanted arbitration Of border
disorders alone discussed and that
even this decision was to be contingent
upon a satisfactory reply to Q note
Italy sent to Ethiopia.
Reports were current that Premier
Benito Mussolini himself wrote the
Italian reply to the Leagues overtures.
1t asked two questions:
I. Will the Council discuss the
Ualual border clash of last December
and resumption of a mixed concilia-
ton commissions arbitration efforts?
Will the agenda be based on other
matters and, If so, what?
In case the discussion involves
problems other than the operations
Of the mixed commission. Italy re-
served the right ito make known her
viewpoints"
Avenols reply to Mussolini assured
the Italian premier he would put his
communication on the agenda o. the
Council session.
He added that he would forward
promptly to Rome any communication
the League of Nations received from
Ethiopia.
Assurance is Withheld.
League of Nations officials explained
tonight they were unable to give
MuSsolini any assurance the Council
would limit its activities to an attempt
to revive the Arbitration Commission.
Only the Council itself, they said, can
pass upon what shall be discussed.
An indication that these viewpoints
were various was given by observers
who recalled today this curious cir
cumstance:
Records of the arms traffic session
(See ETHIOPIA, Page Sd