ANTI-COMMUNIST PACT

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 38, 8 November 1937, Page 5

ANTI-COMMUNIST PACT

-Press Assn.

Signature by Germany, Italy and Japan THE "C0MM0N tENEMY"

iBy Telcerapb-

— -Oopyrisht.)

(Received 8, 8.45 a.m.) ROME, Nov. 6, The Anti-Communist Pact was signed by Oount Ciano, Italian Foreign Minis±er, Mr. Ohta, Japanese Ambassador, and Herr von Ribbentrop, German Ambassador in London. They were the only officials present. Articl© one embodies the text of the German- Japanese Pact of 1936. The three signatdries agree that ltaly is considered an original signatory to the pact, of which the present protocol is an integral part. The protocoi records that the three parties consider that Communism, which continues to endanger civilisation in the East and West, is troubling and destroying peace and can only be restricted and removed by the close coliaboration of States interested in the maintenance of. peace and order. Italy, which after the advent of Fascism , fought with inflexibl© determination against such perils and elimiijated Communism from ltaly, has decided to line itself against the common enemy with Germany and Japan, who are aniraated by tbe saxne intention, to defend themselves against Coinmunism. After the signing of the pact, Count Ciano said: "The pact has no hidden aims. It is directed against nobody but is open to all." Herr von Ri b b entr.op said that it aims at stemming the threat of the desings of the Third International to disintegrate the States in preparation for the Communist International's armed mtervention.

Mr. Ohta said: "We espress a clear determination to resist Communism, which is threatenjng civilisation." Signor V. Gayda, writing in the Giornaie d'ltalia, declares; "The Anti Comintern Pact iinks 200,000,000 people backed by 2,000,000 tons of warships, Japan is the third naval Power in the world, and her strength is rapidly increasing. If the seas become a veflicle for propaganda in the service of Communism lik© the Mediterranean, the world should remember the strength of the signatories to the pact." , j. The Japanese Prim© Minister, Prince Konoye, cabled Signor Mussolini and Herr Hitler congratulations at the conclusion of the pact. H© said he hopes other nations interested in the fight against Communism will join the pact, which will strongly promote Italian, German and Japanese relations. A Berlin message says that Herr Hitler telegraphed Signor Mustolinl , >yelcoming ltaly as a party to the pact to offer a defence against the disintegration. of the world by Bolshevism; Herr Hitler similarly communicated with Prince Konoye. The London Ne ws-Chronicle understands that Herr von Ribbentrop wa? appomted German Ambassador i» Rome so that he could sign the pact in that capacjty.