PROPAGANDA BY ITALY

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 79, 27 December 1937, Page 9

PROPAGANDA BY ITALY

(British Official Wireless.i

Serious View Taken By Great Britaitt NECESSARY STEPS WILL BE TAKEN

EUGBY, Dec. 23. The subject of propagahda, and in particular Italian anti-Bfitish propaganda, was raised in the debate on the adjournment of the House of Commons. The ' Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Lord Cranborne), replying for the Government, said: "I can assure the House— and I think the appointment of a committee is direct evidence of it— that we take this question very serioUsly ihdeed, and reCognise its immense importance, but, pending examination of it by the committee, I think the House will forgive me if I do not make any fnrther statement." Lord Cranborne referred 10 previous occasions on which the Government made its attitude sufficiently clear to Italy. After mentioning difEerent forms of propaganda, he said nothing could be so embittering to the relations betweeti countries as the constant stream of irritating propaganda material. He believed it must take a large share of the blame for the situation Oxisting in the world to-day. They in England had considerable experienCe in recent years of propaganda of this descrip* tion. From time tO time there had been clear evidence from ,th6 Italian Press— in the Near East, and «thef parts of the world— of propaganda directcd entirely against Britain. The British Government had never com doned that propaganda. The Government had always .taken a very serious view of it. On former occasions, when it had become bad, they had always made stfong representations, which had led to an improvement, a temporary not a petmanent lmprovement, but still an improvement. During recent months, however, therO had been a xecrudescence, and it was t'or that reason that Mr. Anthony Eden had sent for the Italian Ambassador (Signor Grandi) and told him that the Government was well aware Of ,that propaganda and added that unless it could be brought to an end it would be impossible to create the atmosphero necessary for the prosecution of successful conversations designed to impiove Anglo-Italian relations. It was their hope and belief that the good sense of the Italian people WOuld see to it that these reprOsentatidns were effective. If not, it was clear that sOOner or later they must take further measures, and he would assure the House that they would not hesitate ;to take whatever measures they thought necessary or apprOpriate for the purpose. Britain did not want to adopt theae meashres, but Wanted a feturu to ,the old, Confident friendship which esisted in the past With Italy, hut they Were confident that that friendship required mutUal tespect and understanding.