ITALY QUITS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 68, 13 December 1937, Page 7

ITALY QUITS

• Press Assn

League of Nations duce's statement Presenee at Geneva "NoJ Longer Tolerable" ROME DEMONSTRATION

(Bf Tele*r*pb-

Copyrifht.)

(Received 13, 8.45 a.m/) ROME, Dec. 12. Signor Mussolini's much-heralded statement, despite many conjectures, proved to be only an explanation foij Italy 's withdrawal from tbe League, which Signor Starace, secretaTy of th* Faseist Party, first announced. The stage had been set with Fascisti • thoroughness for a notahle event. Despite pelting rain, thousands o£ parents , and widows bereaved in the Great "Wa*^ and the^Abyssinian and Spanish paigns thronged the steps of the ifloodlit Victor Emmanuel statue. Giant blue and white searchlights lit up th* entire lengths of the Empire "Way," i'q ' which five battalions of steel-helmetod Black Shirts, shortly going to East Africa, were massed in the centre, . fl«*nked by battalions of Young F»b« cists. University students filled th* Square before the Palazza Venetia. Thousands of civilians under umbrellas passed the time singing Faseist song* and arguing volubly. Signor Starace appeaxed on the bal« cony at 10 p.m., and sbouted? "Blackshirts, it is a solemn monient, The Grand Council is deliberating. " The meeting lasted three minutes, after which Signor Starace announced that Italy was leaving the League, hue the decision was not ' heard, as Signor Starace disturbed the wireg with a foof when approaching the microphone, Signor Mussolint immediately "strode from the windows and received tumuiuous shouts of "Duce! Ducel" whilo all the eirens in Rome tooted a salute/ Signor Mussolini held up his hand for silence, completely ignoring the rain. His first words were nqt heard, as the wireless was not functioning, thn Duce 'a voice coming as a series of croaks. This fault also interfered witii' » the reception throughout Europe. EngL neers speedily Testored^ communication. Signor Mussolini said: "Th© historie decieion which the Grand Council aeclaimed, and you have enthusiastically received, could no longer be delayed.' We have for many years afforded th* world a spectacle of unexampled pat« ience. We have not forgotten, and shall not forget, the shameful attempt af strangulation of the Italian people dl Geneva. The League has fiot made the reparation which is due, and the good intentions of certain Governments have been drowned immediately they mad* contact with the fatal surroundings of Geneva 'e Shnfiedrin, which is manip** lated by dark, hidden forces-— the enemies of Italy and our revolution. Consequently, our presenee at the door of Geneva is no longer tolerable. It has wounded our doctrine, our style and our temperament. As soldiers we had to ehoose. Were we to stay inf" Shouts of "No!" "Were we to get outT" Shouts of "Yee." "That is why we shout, 'It is eaough,' and leave without regrefc a tottering temple in which men do not Work toward peace, but prepare for war. It would be grotesque to believo that pressure has ,been exerted on U3 to decide. Our comrades in the BerlinTokio axis have shown absolute discretion. ' ' Signor Mussolini added that Italy'* withdrawal from the League was an event of great historical importance, which had drawn the attention of rh© world. Its consequences could not bo foreseen, but "we will not abandon our fundamental policy, aiming at eollaboration for peace, of which we have furnished a luminous example in the pa«t few days by consecrating peace in. tha Adriatic. v "The thrqatening voices which are raised from timo to time, and perhaps will he Taised again from' the flocks of great democracies, leave us perfectly; indifferent," declared II Duce. "They can do nothing against a people ' like the Italians, who are capable of any sacrifiee. We have arms in the sky, land and sea. We are both numerous and temporqd by two victorious wars. Above all, we have the hproie spirit of our revolution, which no human forc# in the world will ever be able to bend." The cheering lasted for five minutes, and the crowd diepersed singing army songs. . " , Count Ciano, Italian Foreign Minister, wa? telegraphed at Geneva: "Italy leaves the League as from Deeember 11." (Received 13, 8.45 a.m.) LONDON, Dec. 12. Well-informed British cfrcles are not unauly preoccupied with Mussolini's speech, as his intention to leave the League has been anticipated. His decision is merely a de jure recognition qf a de facto situation. It is believed the decision is due to domestic considerations in order to distract attention frqm tnternal difficuL ties. It will not affeefc British poliey. 11 J • - A