Evening star., 1937-01-07
EDEN AND REICH
ENVOY IN PARLEY
British Secretary Expounds
Gravity Of Spanish Vol.
unteer Issue.
BY the Associated Press.


LONDON. January 7.-Foreign
Secretary Anthony Eden expounded
the increasing gravity Of the Spanish
volunteer question in frank talk
tonight with Prince Otto Won Bis
marck. the German charge daffaires.
Facing anxiously-awaited Italo-
German replies to q plea to stop such
volunteers, the foreign secretary
closeted himself with the German
envoy after an important conference
with Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin.
Informed sources said the replies Of
the Fascist owers Gtaly's was de-
ivered late today In Rome) might
have a vital effect on the peace of
Europe.
Britain. with q warning eye on her
mighty fleet massing in Spanish wat.
ers. looked and hoped for 'construc-
tive" answers. Observers pointed out
British men-of-war were moving
toward Spain In suficient numbers to
enforce blockade of the peninsula
should such action become necessary.
At the same time a statement in
Glasgow last night by Sir Thomas
Inskip. defense coordination minister,
that there would be no army conscrip-
ton during peace time. was taken to
mean Britain was ready to draft SOL
diers Immediately peace was endan-
gered.
Confers With Baldwin.
Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden
conferred with Prime Minister Stanley
Baldwin this afternoon concerning the
Spanish situation, while another meet
ing of the International Neutrality
Subcommittee was summoned for
Tuesday.
Then delegates will study expert
reports on technical aspects Of the re-
cruiting of foreign nationals for service
in Spain, as well as the various forms
Of financial aid which parties to the
war have received from abroad.
1t was believed likely the Italian
and German replies on the volunteer
question might not be published for
several days following their receipt.
U. S. Strengthens Position.
The British position to enforce isola-
ton of Spain's little world war" was
considered in informed circles to be
strengthened through American action
to bar shipments of ornaments to both
sides of the civil conflict.
Fears had been expressed that any
European action might be made inef-
fective through ability of the belliger-
ents to obtain aid in the United
States.
Speeding up of congressional action
TO strengthen American neutrality laws
by removing any loopholes through
which factions in civil war might OBJ
tain aid was felt to have placed the
problem definitely in the hands Of
Europe.
Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden
confidently expected the Italian and
German answers to be delivered today.
after what we're reported to be strong
representations over the delay in re-
plying to the Joint Anglo-French note
of December u.
Hopes for Direct Answer.
Informed sources said Eden hoped
the answers would not evade the issue
and return the situation to the con-
fusion that existed before Christmas.
The ordering of routine" fleet
maneuvers in Spanish waters almost
g -, ,,1f /, ,, eo,,eIt, n,ifh fha dicpofrh ~
the urgent demand for Germany's and
Italy's non-intervention answers was
regarded as significant
Reports from Berlin and Rome in
dicated the two Fascist powers would
present a joint front with their replies.
which we're described as "conciliatory,"
without giving fiat yes or no" an
swer to the demand that aid to Spain's
insurgent army be halted.