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SPANISH CRISIS.
PERIOD OF RESTRAINT.
MAINTAINING NON-INTERVENTION.
THE ANGLO-FRENCH EFFORTS.
With no indication of any further provocative action, either from
Spain or from Germany or Italy, the critical international situation
arising from the dangerous incidents associated with the Spanish
conflict during the week-end appears to be easing.
The British and French Governments are doing their utmost
to prevent any further aggravation of the situation and are seeking
means to facilitate the return of Germany and Italy to the non-
intervention committee and participation in the naval patrol scheme.
The immediate concern is to obtain acceptable assurances from
both sides in Spain that there will be no recurrence of attacks on
foreign warships engaged in the international control scheme. Addi-
tional safety measures are also under consideration.
LONDON, June 2.—Following the re-
cent grave international incidents in the
Spanish war, the British and French Gov-
ernments are maintaining close diplomatic
contact in pursuance of their efforts to
restore the situation so as to continue the
work of making the international non-
intervention agreement effective and thus
reduce the dangers of a European con-
flagration and hasten the end of the war.
Though nothing has been disclosed, there
is a general feeling that portentous
matters are engaging the attention of the
British Cabinet.
The main incidents were the bombing
by Spanish Government planes of an
Italian warship in the harbour at
Palma (Majorca) on Friday, and of the
German battleship Deutschland while at
anchor at Iviza (also in the Balearics)
on Saturday. The Italian deathroll was
six and the German deathroll has now
reached 26. Then, on Monday, German
warships led by the battleship Admiral
Scheer shelled the Spanish Government's
port of Almeria with heavy loss of civi-
lian life.
The immediate developments were
summed up by the British Foreign Sec-
retary (Mr. Eden) in the House of Com-
mons yesterday when he made a fur-
ther statement regarding the bombing
of the Deutschland (which Germany in-
sists was without provocation, denying
Spanish allegations that the planes were
fired on). Mr. Eden said that the Ger-
man Government had decided to take no
further part in the naval patrol of the
Spanish coasts or in the discussions of
the non-intervention committee so long
as it had not received sure guarantees
against a repetition of such occurrences.
A similar decision had been taken by the
Italian Government. Mr. Eden added:—
"I understand, however, as the outcome
of inquiries I have made, that these
Governments regard the international
scheme of observation (to prevent the
transport of foreign war materials or
volunteers to either side) as still applic-
able to them in every respect with the
exception of their participation in the
naval patrol."
After a reference to the previous day's
meeting of the chairman's sub-committee
of the international committee, Mr. Eden
added:—"His Majesty's Government has
expressed its deep regret at the decision
taken by the German and Italian Gov-
ernments. It will continue to do its
utmost to prevent any aggravation of the
present situation. It is in constant con-
sultation with other Governments on this
subject with a view to considering what
steps can most usefully be taken to re-
store the situation."
Puzzling Features.
"Information received in London seems
to confirm the German contention that
the Deutschland did not fire on the
Spanish Government planes," declares
the diplomatic correspondent of the
"Manchester Guardian." "The affair is
highly mysterious. The Spanish Govern-
sent has a vital interest in giving Italy
and Germany no excuse for departing
from the strictest neutrality as, if Barce-
lona and Valencia are attacked from the
sea, it will be difficult for the Spanish
Government to escape defeat. The whole
Government's policy has been to give as
little provocation as possible. Thus raids
on control ships are pure madness.
"While Whitehall regards the attack
on the Deutschland as puzzling and de-
plorable, it also feels that Germany's re-
prisal is an ominous symptom showing
that the 'moderation' credited to the
German naval and military chiefs is not
very real. When it comes to a point,
Herr Hitler still decides."
Apart from her withdrawal from the
naval patrol and the non-intervention
committee, Italy has made no other posi-
tive move. It is noted, however, that
Signor Mussolini has returned to Rome, 14
Italian warships are assembled at Naples
to await developments, and it is believed
that the Duce is agreeable to co-ordina-
tion of Italo-German operations. The
German Minister for Defence (Field-
Marshal von Blomberg) arrived at Rome
today and was met by Signor Mussolini,
the Foreign Minister (Count Ciano) and
high military officers. The visit was
planned before the recent events in
Spain, but it is believed that these will
form the most urgent subject of the dis-
cussions which are beginning immedi-
ately. The naval review arranged in hon-
our of the visit of Field-Marshal von
Blomberg was postponed owing to the
Spanish situation.
Seeking Guarantees.
The British Government is searching
for guarantees that will enable Germany
and Italy to resume their places in the
non-intervention committee and the
patrol scheme. The diplomatic corres-
pondent of "The Times" says that an ex-
tended system of safety zones in Spanish
harbours and roadsteads where patrol
ships can lie at anchor is held to offer
the best solution, and some such scheme
is expected to come before the interna-
tional committee this week. Neither of
the Spanish authorities is expected to
oppose it.
A proposal, understood to emanate
from the German Ambassador to Britain
(Herr von Ribbentrop) for joint action
by the four fleets—French, British,
Italian and German—which formed the
original Spanish naval patrol in the
event of an attack on any one of their
ships has attracted attention here and
on the Continent. It is admitted in
many quarters that collective measures
within preordained limits would be pre-
ferable to individual reprisals. On the
other hand, no one in Britain wishes
to see punitive international bombard-
ments added to the horrors of the civil
war.
A section of the French Press sees in
the suggestion a possibility of develop-
ing international control to the extent
of a practical blockade which, combined
with the withdrawal of foreign combat-
ants, "would cause this horrible war,
which only keeps going because it con-
tinues to be fed, to die of inanition."
The "Echo de Paris" recalls that France
and Britain wished to endow the inter-
national fleets with executive functions
in August, but Italy and Germany then
resisted. "Excelsior" considers that
Europe might assist towards peace in
Spain through fleet co-operation.
The "Manchester Guardian" says that
difficulty is likely to arise if, as is sug-
gested, the Germans demand collective
retaliatory action in the event of future
outrages, because Britain and other
Powers are determined to do nothing to
add to the sufferings of the Spanish
civilian population. "The task imposed,"
says "The Times," "is to find guarantees
which will not be less satisfactory for
conforming to humanitarian standards. A
solution may be found by developing the
principle that the four naval control
fleets form one international organ in a
declaration of common responsibility in
the face of any future attack."
According to a Lisbon message the Por-
tuguese Government has sent a Note to
the British Foreign Office and the non-
intervention committee pointing out that
all the areas previously controlled by
Italian and German warships are now
freely open for the importation of arma-
ments, thus allowing special facilities
to one side in Spain. The Note adds
that if satisfaction is not given the
Italian and German claims for guaran-
tees against future incidents, outrages
against the control ships will be repeated.
French official circles are still appre-
hensive lest Italy and Germany should
redouble their efforts to secure a decisive
victory for the insurgents under General
Franco. The strong pressure of the Ger-
man Foreign Minister (Baron von Neu-
rath) in favour of moderation is re-
ported in Paris to have limited the Ger-
man reprisals to the bombing of Al-
meria. France and Britain are de-
termined to do their utmost to secure a
continuance of the non-intervention
agreement but the difficulties ahead are
clearly seen in Paris. It is believed that
neither Germany nor Italy will risk a
general war, but they may go a long
way to intervene on behalf of General
Franco unless they meet with a firm veto
from the other countries.
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