London, Mar, 20.
Any request by the Italians for the safe conduct of the 200,000 Italian non-combatants in Abyssinia could only form part of a general capitulation, it was learned in London by Reuter's diplomatic correspondent today.
The British government cannot now do anything which might interfere with the success of the operations now proceeding. There can be no question of halting the operations now in progress unless the Italian government asks for an armistice.
The British Government, however, has asked the Emperor to do what he can to prevent reprisals on Italian non-combatants.—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.