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CAUTIOUS STEPS
AT GENEVA
Aggressor Not
Named
TACTFUL INDICATION OF
ITALY
Britain Pleased With
U.S. Decision
Australian Associated Press
GENEVA, October 6.
The Committee of Six has decided
not to disclose the contents of its re-<*>
port until it has been circulated to
members of the Council. Nevertheless,
it is understood that, although the
Committee unanimously decided that
the Covenant had been violated, the
report, in order not to wound the suc
ceptibilities of certain countries does
not mention which Power is the aggres
sor but indicates that Italy resorted
to war in defence of the Covenant.
The Geneva representative of the
Australian Associated Press was as
sured today that the Council would vote
on the report tomorrow. The British
member (Mr. Eden) pressed the Com
mittee to complete its task tonight,
which it achieved after having sat for
three hours. Mr. Eden's dfcappoint
ment that the Council on Saturday
made no real progress is understand
able, but with the early possession by
members of the report of the Com
mittee of Six, with which Mr. Eden is
well satisfied, the Council, presumably,
will be unable to delay matters fur
ther.
When it meets tomorrow, the Coun
cil will vote on the report of the Com
mittee of Thirteen and then consider
the report of the Committee of Six,
thus moving immediately from Article
XV. to Article XVI. However, in view
of the Assembly's resolution in 1921
laying down that each country must
decide for itself whether an act of ag
gression has been committed, it is not
legally necessary to take a vote on
Monday, but policy and practicableness
both demand that members should de
fine their position at the Council table,
unless they have since become appre
hensive of the determination expressed
during the Assembly's debate. All mem
bers, except Italy, shared in the pre
paration of the report of the Commit
tee of Thirteen, and voting on it should
be a formality. Then arises the ques
tion as to whether the same members
can be screwed up unanimously to de
clare Italy the aggressor. Unanimity
on this point is not necessary, but it is
desirable.
Spain And Poland Wavering
It then becomes a question of whe
ther the Council will recommend tne
carrying out of the Covenant in its
entirety, which will doubtless be pre
ceded by further negotiations between
Britain and France, while waverers like
Spain and Poland will be tested.
British circles believe that President
Roosevelt's warning that Americans will
carry on relations with the belligerent
nations at their own risk, will exer
cise an important effect in rallying
Geneva opinion. President Roosevelt's
invocation of the Neutrality Act is con
sidered to be a favorable augury, as
it means that a nation which is not m.
member of the League, is actually go
ing further in certain directions than
League members. With the recognition
that the American decision is prac
tically harmless to Ethiopia but dam
aging to Italy, there is more optimism
in Geneva tonight.
Moreover, the Ethiopian case has been
presented more impressive; v than that
of Italy. It is ironical that while Mus
solini's son-in-law, Count Ciano. the
Italian Minister for Propaganda, is
leading bombing planes over Ethiopia,
his peace-time task of giving the world
a brave picture of Italy has apparently
fallen into less competent hands, as
there has been a notable lack of unani
mity in Italian official and semi-official
declarations, whereas Ethiopia's pro
nouncements have maintained con
sistency and simplicity.
Australia Informed
The Australian High Commissioner
(Mr. Bruce) vU interview Mr. Eden
tomorrow immediately after he has re
ceived the report of the Committee of
Six. He will transmit the report to
Canberra. Thus, only a few hours will
be available for consideration of it be
fore the Council registers its vote; but
it may be expected that Mr. Bruce's
reply will be in the affirmative when
members are asked to define whether
Italy has broken the Covenant, and
that he will not require specific in
structions from Cabinet.
As an example of the importance
which British authorities attach to
President Roosevelt's declaration and
its influence on Geneva, they imme
diately supplied Mr. Bruce with a copy
of it.
Mr. Hawaxiat, the Abyssinian dele
gate, in an interview, declared that it
was not necessary to send troops to de
fend Abyssinia, which needed only
tanks and planes to defend herself;, but
he urged the League to raise the arms
embargo and give Abyssinia the neces
sary financial assistance.
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