Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1936-05-22

preparations 0y London.
BY the Associated Press.
LONDON, May 22.-Great Britain
stepped up its plans for mobilization
of the nations industries in the event
of war today, after a House Of Com
mons debate emphasized the difficulty
of holding the Mediterranean in case
Of conflict with Italy.
A vast program for facilitating
munitions production. speeding up sup
ply of airplanes. protecting the life
line of the empire" and providing food
supplies for the civil population in any
future war time began to take shape.
Two major situations apparently
were involved in the preparations:
/. The Italo- Ethiopian, in which
Viscount Claiborne, parliamentary
undersecretary for foreign affairs. told
the House of Commons yesterday the
British government lis taking and will
take the most energetic steps to clear
up the whereabouts Of L. J. Bonner,
Red Cross worker, reported arrested
at Diredawa.
2. The Palestine-Egypt affairs. in
which Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin
told Commons Britain would not tol-
crate foreign interference.
Grand in Conference.
Italy's Ambassador to Britain, Dino
Grand. conferred late yesterday with
Sir Robert c. Van Sittart, permanent
undersecretary for foreign affairs. in
what authoritative sources said was a
general discussion of the Ethiopian
situation.
1t was Grandi's first visit to the for
eign office since he presented copy of
the Italian decree annexing Ethiopia
An authoritative source said the
reinforced guards of the British and
French legations to Adds Ababa
would remain, despite Italian hints
that they be reduced.
This was stated to be the central
point of discussion in the conference.
Particular interest centered on the
conference after reports circulated of
an impending Italian approach for
improvement of Italo-British relations.
Authoritative sources, however, said
Grandis visit did not result from new
instructions from Rome.
The press inclined TO connect the
conference with unofficial italian sug-
gestions that Britain should withdraw
the guard from its Adds Ababa lega-
ton. rather than any new efforts for
Cancellation.
Palestine Is Problem.
In the Holy Land, where Baldwin
said Britain intends to discharge its
responsibilities TO the full" under its
protectorate, a British policeman was
wounded in Arab-Jewish disorders al
Jerusalem and troop reinforcements
we're sent from Egypt.
Parts Of the rearmament program to
meet such difficulties were disclosed b.
Sir Thomas W. q Inskip, minister of
defense coordination, yesterday to the
House Of Commons.
The government offered subsidization
for automobile manufacturers entering
the field of airplane production to
speed up the supply of much-needed
aircraft
Most contracts for machines, tools
and gauges for use in munitions fac
tories we're expected to be placed
within few days.
Sir William Beveridge. an expert
economist. took over the Craftsmanship
of a subcommittee of the Imperial
Defense Committee to arrange for food
supplies in the event of wer.
Port Improvements Ordered.
The port of London authority. In
sole charge of the lower Thames
busiest port in the world and Britains
lifeline of supplies a
500 200, 900 program of Improvement
to be carried out as swiftly as possible
A cabinet committee was called to.
day to consider how Britain's greai
battleships would stand up under thu
new conditions arising from the ex.
pansion of instruments for aerial
warfare
The Laborite Lieut.. Comdr. r. r. G.
Fletcher told Commons last night an
alternate Cape route to the Far East
should be developed in view Of the
problems of controlling the Mediter-
ranean which would be raised in any
war with Italy.
He pointed out 10 submarines in the
Mediterranean were capable during
the last wal Of sinking shipping at the
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