MUSSOLINI INCIDENT.

Hokitika Guardian, 11 February 1926, Page 3

MUSSOLINI INCIDENT.

STATEMENT BY STRESEMANN. NO QUARREL WITH ITALY. (Received this day at 11.0 a.m.) BERLIN, February 10. In the Reichstag Dr Stresemann declared the German Government declined to reply to Mussolini’s outburst in terms similar to his (Mussolini’s) speech, which was more suited lor mass meetings than for international discussion. He proceeded to- read a statement in which it was emphasised that the German Government had no quarrel with Italy. Dr Stresemann recalled Mussolini’s observations in 1020 on the absence of conflicting Italo-German economic and political interests. The keynote of the speech which was applauded by nil parties, was the insistence on Germany’s right to support the cultural claims' of minorities abroad and her determination to support them before the League of Nations. Dr Stresemann reasserted Germany’s intention of respecting Italian sovereignty in South Tyrol and added: “There is no such thing as international morality, despite numerous Italian decrees promising to respect the rights of the minority in South Tyrol. What the Fascist regime is steadily working towards is de-Germnnisation.”

Dr Stresemann admitted the newspapers had published false reports and some private individuals in Munich had appealed for a boycott of Italian goods, but, in his opinion, it was absurd to threaten a breach of international commercial agreement owing to an unimportant movement bv private persons which the Government disowned. If Mussolini thought the Changed attitude of the German press was due to the Government’s order he forgot it was impossible, arbitrarilly, to restrict the freedom of the press in Berlin as in Rome. The Reich did not intend to forbid the German press to express its sympathy for a land and people which had been German for centuries, if, owing to oppression of the people, danger of disturbance of the peace arose. Then an appeal would he made to the League of Nations.

Dr Stresemann said that Mussolini’s speech was regarded throughout the world as a threat of war against Germany and Austria. Such a threat was incompatible with the spirit of the League.

Dr Stresemann reproved the Bavarian Premier and reasserted that their Government was responsible for the foreign policy. Tie concluded that while they wanted to live at peace with Italy lie repudiated the threats levelled at Germany. ITALY AND THE TYROL. (Received this day at 11.25 a.m.) PARTS, Fch. 10. An Innsbruck message states that the Ptusident, M. Stumpf. in the Tyrolean Diet, referring to a possible advance of the Italian front northwards, adumbrated Mussolini. He said lie would aalc the Austrian Federal Government to see whether the question should not he submitted to the League of Nations. The Rome newspapers publish accounts of the seizure on the Davnron?. Plateau in the Tyrol, of some 20 tons of arms and ammunition, including a machine gun. The possessors of the arms were reported to have been frequently visited by emissaries from Munich. Similar seizures have been effected at two other centres. There have been five arrests and more are expected.