Evening star., 1937-07-05
HINT COMPROMISE
ON SPAIN CRISIS
Eden Tells Commons No
German Warships Now
in Mediterranean.
b. the Associated Press.


LONDON, July 5 LP.-Foreign
Secretary Anthony Eden disclosed to-
day there now were no German war
ships in the Mediterranean "at ALL"
He spoke to the House of Commons
while Informed British observers were
predicting a compromise on the
Spanish non-intervention question,
which is in a deadlock with Italy and
Germany on one side and France and
Great Britain on the other.
Details of this predicted compro-
mise went undisclosed.
Eden reviewed the whole "hands off
Spain situation for the Commons
members. He said Germany and Italy,
by Withdrawing all their warships
from the four-power on-intervention
patrol had left the east coast of
Spain wide open.
Presently" he added there are
no German warshipS in the Mediter-
ranean at all"
Cabinet Called.
Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain
called both the cabinet and the In.
perial Committee of Defense into ses-
sion today to consider Britain's future
policy in the war and the threat to
her Mediterranean communications
growing out of it.
simultaneously the Board Of Trade,
government department, warned
British merchantmen that insurgent
warships in the vicinity of Santander,
on the northwest ledge of Spain, We're
trying to capture all shipping. The
board said British WarShipS would
protect British merchantmen only
outside the Spanish Smile limit.
Well-informed political circles be-
lieVed the emergency secret session
of the Defense Committee had placed
the question of protecting Britain's
life line of empire first on its
agenda. The committee includes the
heads of the army, navy and airforce
Later the cabinet was to review a
detailed report on the deadlock grow
ing out of firm Italian and German
opposition to Franco-British pro-
posals to take over the patrol to iso-
late the civil war,
Stiffens Attitude.
These developments came as OBJ
servers credited Britain with stiffen-
ing her attitude in the tense situation.
Evidence Of this was seen in Eden's
speech, in which he outlined a two
fold policy for Britain:
/. Preservation of Spain for the
Spaniards;
2. Maintenance of the empires
"main arterial road through the
Medlterl anean.
Some British authorities thought
there we're indications Germany and
Italy might be won to compromise.
The two powers refused to let French
and British wa-ships take over the
patrol areas. abandoned when they
charged the Spanish government had
attacked their control ships
Others, however, saw Europe aligned
IN two camps: Britain and France,
backed by Soviet Russia, opposed to
Italy and Germany, backed by Portu-
gal.
Two Realities Faced.
Britain was considered faced with
two realities in the situation. The
first is a realization Italy and Ger
many, who have accorded full recogni-
ton to the insurgents, will never allow
what they term "bolshevist" conquest
of Spain. 1t is generally understood
anything but victory for the insurgents
would come under this head.
The second is the increasing sue
cess of GeneraliSSimo Francisco
Francois troops il the Spanish areas
where British interests lie. British
capital has heavy investments III the
conquered mines around Bilbao and
formerly imported one-third of their
output Franco may divert that ore
now to Germany and Italy.
InSurgent Generalissimo Francisco
Franco was reported today to have
approved verbally the resumption of
iron ore shipments to Great Britain
from the Orconera properties near
Bilbao, which the insurgents have
captured.