Evening star., 1935-10-23
Britain's Olive Branch.

Britain OllNe bfancn.
Earnestly rejecting the worlds eager
ness for peace before Italys war spreads
into European conflagration, the Brit
ish government has extended an olive
branch to Mussolini. In speech in the
House of Commons Foreign Secretary
Sir Samuel Hoare appeals to II Duce to
negotiate a settlement before the hour
arrives to enforce League sanctions
against Italy. Coincident with this pub
lie plea for conciliation, diplomacy is
active behind the scenes at Rome, Paris
and London. The outlook for ending
hostilitieS is distinctly brighter.
1t is the iron hand within the velvet
glove that Britain offers to Italy. Sir
Samuel Hoare, while denying emphat-
ically that the British ever contemplated
military sanctions, supports unreservedly
the economic measures decreed by
Geneva. He warns Italy in significant
terms that such sanctions would def
nitely shorten the duration of the war"
lini that the nations which voted them
possess not only the will but the power
to bring him to book by subjecting the
italian people to economic strangulation.
The British foreign secretary implies the
hope that Rome will have the enlightened
self-intereSt to accept an honorable peace
while there is still time. Italy is
addressed as fellow member of the
League, an old friend and former ally"
and is urged to use this eeventh-hour
breathing spell so as to make it unnec-
essary to proceed further along the unat-
tractive road of economic action"
Britains spokesman defended his
country valiantly against the charge
that it is pursuing selfish interests in
seeking to block Italian conquest of
Ethiopia. He stressed that British pro-
cedure has had in mind only collective
steps for peace and security. Sir Samuel
in q striking passage declared that while
twenty years ago certain power, by
which Germany is meant, felt itself
confronted by the alternative of world
power or DOWNFALL the alternative fac
ing mankind today is world peace or
destruction There could be no palmer
hint that Italy has applied the spark
to fire that may consume civilization
unless 1t is eXtinguiShed.
Britains olive branch contains one
twig that will not escape notice in Rome.
Sir Samuel Hoare insists that settle
ment be sought within the framework
of the League-acceptable to all three
parties, the League, Italy and Ethiopia"
The British are determined that the
principle of collective action shall be
tried out, once for ALL for, as Sir
Samuel puts 1t, I'VE feel that neither
the League nor our civilization can con-
done multiple breach of treaties and
survive"
Italy is believed ready to negotiate a
settlement" on the basis Of holding
territory Fascist legions have already
captured or will shortly be in position to
occupy. 1t is intimated that certain
powers are not unwilling to discuss peace
on that basis. Halle SelasSies ideas are
another question. He tells the Associated
Press that he is confident the League will
see that any peace it sponsors will be a
just one, leaving Ethiopian sovereignty,
territorial integrity and independence
intact, for any other peace is not peace,
but stark confiscation."
There is wide gulf between Musso-
lini's peace notions and terms acceptable
to his African foe. To reconcile them is
task fraught with difficulty for those
who have shouldered it. 1t will at least
be lightened If Italy grasps the olive
branch just put forward in London.