Evening star., 1937-10-10

By the Associated Press.
LONDON, October 9-Italy re-
1ected tonight the Anglo-French bid
to a three-power conference to dis
cuss the issue of Italian volunteers
fighting in Spain. The action con-
fronted Great Britain and France
with what informed sources called
decisions of utmost gravity
Replying to the joint invitation in
which the two countries proposed the
conference, Italy refused in a note
to enter any talks unless Germany Is
invited and attends.
She suggested that intervention
problems should continue to be dealt
with by the 27-Nation Non-Interven-
ton Committee which has its head
quarters in London.
Oficials here and in Paris expressed
their regret" at the action and de-
clared the reply was not reassuring
rs to 1taly's real plans"
Frontier Opening Possible.
Possible Anglo-French steps, ac-
cording to previous forecasts, would
include opening of the French-Span-
ish frontier to the flow of men and
munitions and the lifting of Britain's
arms ban. 4
Informed sources said, however,
that Prime Minister Neville Chamber
lain and Premier Camille Chautemps
OF France and their aides would not
make any swift decisions
British officials stressed that in
their view Italys reply was incon-
sistent with her attitude in the Non
Intervention Committee. They pointed
out that when the question of with
drawing foreign volunteers from Spain
last was discussed by the committee
last July Italian and Russian atti-
tudes clashed to cause deadlock.
It was for this reason that Britain
and France suggested tri-power talks.
One charge was made that Italy
was playing for time "to make her
Intervention lin SPAIN more ef-
fective."
Little likelihood was seen for any
0pPIOFdA Va AtdAy ASAhSob AVA N<SA
man participation since Russia then
might have to be invited.
Note Conciliatory in Spots.
The note, concilatory in part,
stated that Italy was ready with
every possible good will to examine as
they have always done in the past all
means which may be thought suitable
to render effective the policy of nom
intervention.
Replying to the lo-French con-
tention that tri-power talks on the
foreign volunteers question would
obviate difficulties which might be
encountered in the Non-Intervention
Committee, Italy expressed doubt
whether the difficulties in question
can be overcome by way of ingenuities
or a device of procedure and, above
all, by that proposed"
Invitation Published.
The Anglo-French invitation to
italy was published simultaneously
with the reply.
1t was conciliatory in the extreme
and pointed out the two governments
were anxious to maintain obligations
respecting the supply of arms and men
to Spain, but "they cannot conceal
from themselves the difficulty of pre-
serving these conditions unless some
such steps agreement on the volun-
teers issue) are taken to make the
policy of non-intervention really ef-
fective"
This was the nearest to threat
OF France reopening her frontier te
permit arms and men to go to the
Observation-Disclosures government.
British and French on the one
hand and Italians on the other indi.
rectly charged and counter charged
that Italy and France were rushing
reinforcements to Spain for what
threatened to become a gigantic In
ternational clash of arms.