Evening star., 1937-06-29

Spain. Neutrality patrol set up bv
Non-Interuention Committee uas
made ineffective last week By angry
withdrawal OF Germany and Italy.
By the Associated Press.
LONDON, June 29-Germany and
Italy flatly rejected today a plan by
Great Britain and France to patrol
all Of Spain's coasts in the interests
Of neutrality.
Soviet Russia. one Of the big five"
on the European non-intervention
subcommittee, approved the proposal.
The blunt refusal Of Count Dino
Grandi, Italian Ambassador to London,
and Joachim Won Ribbentrop, the
German Ambassador, brought a
speedy end to the subcommittee's ses-
sion, which lasted less than two hours.
State Governments Position.
Both Won Ribbentrop and Count
Grandi summed up their govern
ments' position after Lord Plymouth
of Great Britain, the chairman, out
lined the Anglo-French proposal.
They asked, alphabetically, what
attitude Britain and France would
take If the roles were reversed. If
Germany and Italy suggested taking
hn NIL notrn1
At the same time, it was disclosed
officially, the Italian declared that
mot q single volunteer has left my
country for Spain since the ban
agreed upon by this committee" (Feb-
ruary l0).
| 1t was also made known that Ger
| many and Italy had advised their
countrymen who have been serving as
non- intervention observers in ports
| and on borders OF Spain to resign.
| Speedy Replies Urged.
Lord Plymouth urged that there be
speedy replies from the various cap
| itals
The Italo-German decision TO op-
pose extension Of the patrol by Britain
and France was based, apparently,
on feeling that such extension would
benefit the Spanish government. Italy
and Germany believed Anglo-French
warships would be sympathetic" to
the Valencia cause.
On the other hand, fears were ex-
pressed that a dangerous deadlock in
the non-intervention negotiations now
might permit the insurgent navy to
| gain control Of Spain's eastern coast
| and aid an early insurgent victory in
| the civil war. 1t was this section Of
Spain that was assigned to Germany
and Italy for control
Not only Lord Plymouth. the British
chairman, but also Prime Minister
| Neville Chamberlain admitted that
foreign Intervention continued on
both sides. Britain has taken a de-
termined lead in efforts to prevent
the war from spreading outside Spain.
Lord Plymouth. during the meeting,
| again raised the question of with
drawing all foreign fighters from
Spain, stressing its urgency. French
Ambassador Corbin proposed that i'm
mediate arrangements be made for
the withdrawal of all fighters now
| prisoners or wounded in Spain.
Agreed on Neutral Observers.
In making the patrol offer, both
Britain and France proposed to take
! neutral observers aboard their ships.
Britain would patrol coasts now in
the hands of the Spanish government.
Britain and France would share re-
sponsibility for patrolling the coasts
held by the insurgents.
Czechoslovakia, Sweden and Bel
GUM as well as Soviet Russia ap-
proved the plan.
Italy and Germany centered their
| objection on grounds that the pro-
posal was mot based on necessary
equilibrium 50 as to insure absolute
impartiality of control"
The French suggestion for the with
drawal Of foreign prisoners and
| wounded in Spain will be discussed
further on Friday.
The subcommittee is scheduled tc
meet again on Friday to further con.
slider decisions OF the various powers
Other Subcommittee Members.
In addition to France, Britain, Ger
many, Italy and Soviet Russia the
other members Of the nine-power sub
committee are Belgium, Portugal
Czechoslovakia and Sweden.
Usually reliable observers reported
British statesmen were willing to
grant rights of belligerent to Span
ish insurgent Gen. Francisco Franco
In exchange for concessions by Ger
many and Italy-that is, II Italy and
Germany agreed to continue collabora-
ton in the Nom Intervention Com
mittee.
Informed sources said that if recoe-
milton Of a belligerent status were
given to Franco, 1t would not mean
that Britain was recognizing Frances
regime as equal to the Spanish gov
eminent or taking sides, but merely
would officially state that a state Of
war exists in Spain.
Britain and France proposed to take
over the patrol of all of Spain's coasts
to prevent arms and men reaching
either side in the civil war after Ger
many and Italy withdrew from the
sea Gordon.
Withdrawal Of the two powers from
the international patrol came last
week after France and Britain re-
fused to join a proposal by Germany
for naval demonstration of VAL
encia as warning" to the Spanish
government.
Germany, backed by Italy, made
that suggestion after two alleged At
tacks by Spanish government SUBJ
marines on the German cruiser Ieip-
zig off the Algerian coast on June
Is and 18.
Ride Together to Meeting.
Count Grandi and Won Ribbentrop
rode together to the subcommittee
meeting in limousine flying the Nazi
Svo xtika