The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-12-12

the council, where IurKey, Rumanla and other small powers, possibly with Russia's support, may continue to battle against it.
 The occasion for today's gather ing was 8 meeting of the League penalties committees committee ot 18," called the general staff.
 The meeting was set for AIS p. m. (10:15 a. m. EST). When it was convoked, its members had planned to set the date for an embargo on oil, coal, iron and steel against Italy in penalty for its war on Ethiopia.
 Instead the British and French chief delegates agreed tentatively to suggest that consideration of the oil embargo be deferred so that the League Councils committee ot hve," named to facilitate peace ef- forts, could consider the French British plan.
 The council itself, the governing committee of the whole league, is to meet Dec. IT.
 Premier Pierre Laval of France. Anthony Eden, British minister for league affairs, and Salvador De Ma dariaga, chairman of the committee of five, arrived on the same train today.
 They found an angry atmosphere here. Against Laval and Eden-who has fought stoutly for the uphold ing of league principles and now is forced to defend plan which he is said to believe unjust-were arrayed delegates of nearly all the small na- tions of the league.
 Feared League Retreat
 The men of the small nations feared that the peace plan meant inevitably the beginning of league retreat from its penalties program. But they appeared too demoralized still by the peace" plan which pro- vides for partitioning of the ancient Ethiopian empire for Italy's bene- fit, to offer much resistance in the committee of IS itself. They awaited 8 leader. But their representatives on the League Council which meets Tuesday may try to block the scheme.
 But it appeared that the leagues genuine fight to penailze Italy as a war maker, and set an example at which future ambitious statesmen might look before they leaped, was over.
 Philippians Bitter
 Paris, Dec. 12-(UP)-"Does the proud lion calmly watch while jack als steal his meat?" asked Blatten Geta Woelde Marian, Ethiopian minister, today in predicting that Emperor Halle Selassie would reject the French British peace" plan at any cost.
 "If the League of Nations should approve this plan, betraying the principles which protect small na- tions, it will show that Ethiopia has been the victim of a great betrayal, perpetrated to save the prestige of Italy, which invaded my country without provocation, bringing with 1t bombs, tanks and other weapons of modern warfare with which my people are ignorant.
 We may have. to stand alone against Italy. If so, we will do our duty. If we have to succumb we will go down fighting. Our warriors will die rather than surrender supinely one inch of northern Ethiopia purely Amharic, ours for 4,000 years -as if to permit someone to cut the right arm from a man."
 Philippians expressed the opinion that the emperor never would &C., cept those features of the plan which provide for cession to Italy of territory in the north and for Italian colonization and commer- cial preferment in a fertile area of the south.
 But there are reports from the front regarding the demoralizing eff fleets on the army from constant aerial bombing, sickness and scant food. These considerations, it was suggested, might induce the em- peror to make larger concessions than he was willing to grant previ- ously.
 Mussollni to Reply
 Rome, Dec. 12.-CUP)-Premier Benito Mussolini prepared today to inform Great Britain and France, and through them the League of Nations. whether he would accept the French British plan for settle- ment of the Italian-Ethiopian war as Q basis for discussion.