'The triumph of Signor' Mussolini over the most ancient state in the world and also over the world's most modern institution, the League of Nations, is a lamentable event, decia ed Mr, Winston Churchill in & speech Jost night.
Speaking as a private member of Parliament without knowledge of the altitude that the Government would adopt at Geneva, he said he was not prepared to support sanctions against Htaly merely for the purpose of weakening the Italian people.
Moreover, he declared, Abyssinia was now in the hands of Italy who, by violence, had made herself responsible for the welfare of the "Abyssinian people, In trying further to Impoverish or weaken the Italian nation, they might only weaken the resources out of which Abyssinia could be nourished and sustained, and. so embitter and worsen their fate, With regard to the League of Nations, many voices were raised for breaking it up and casting aside, 'That was a reckless and shortsighted view, Mr. Churchill said, Although the' League had failed to prevent a war of aggression and the conquest of Abyssinia, it was stronger and more alive to-day than itwasa year ago, The task before them was not to abandon or abolish the League but to strengthen it for new and raver trials which might Iie before it in future,—Wireless through Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.