The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1928. FRANCO-ITALIAN FRICTION.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 December 1928, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1928. FRANCO-ITALIAN FRICTION.

Italy under Fascism, says an exchange, is outwardly the most sensitive of European nations, it would seem as though the Fascist press were officially encouraged to raise a clamour over every incident that can possibly be interpreted as casting a reflection upon the dignity, greatness, and aspirations of modern Italy. The individual who is continually trailing his coat is likely to have it trodden on sooner or later and with a State flu l position is not very different. Examples of high-pitch-ed Kalian resentment, over alleged insults or grievances suffered through foreign bungling or discourtesy have been too numerous to recall. An outcry is being raised at the present time over the fact that a man named Modugno by whom the Italian ice-Oon-sid was fatally shot at Paris in September of last year has been found ] guilty by a French jury of manslaugh-j; \

tor only and sontcm(v<l to imprisonment. lor U'n years. Apart from Lho nor its of the verdict and the measure >f the punishment, upon which it is impossihlc to pronounce, though on ihe face of things it would not appear o he commeiisiirate with the crime, ■ lie anti-French demonstrations at iilome scorn to have heen a,II too easily .aimed. Moreover. while the Fascist authorities protected the Krcnrh Kmhassy they appear otherwi-e to have regarded the demonstrations as a commend,aide indication of Italian national spirit. Signor Mussolini has said as much in a published statement. The French jury sytom. may he defective end in need of overhaul. Hut it is i o'-sihlc to sympathise with France in the position in which she finds herself as i he asylum of thousands of refugees .driven from their own coiiniry, Italy, hy the Fascist regime. These refugees include enmirs of the Fascist Stale and plotters against it. and it is less than reasonable that the French OovcnimciiL should lie assailed and denounced every time its hospitality is all used hy some deported Italian or anti-Fascisi plotter. The Italian (!uvernmeiit must expect to reap some of toe results of its repressive acts. Hut there arc other causes of Irmtion between the two countries. A few weeks ago AI. Fainleve French .Minister of War referred in the, course of an interview to the fortification that is proceeding on liol.li sides of the Fra neoItalian frontier. “The Italians.'’ Im said, “la-gan the race all the way from the Mediterranean to Mont Ulane. M will match them gun for gun. Thai frontier is easier to del nil than our (derman frontier. We realise the eon-

sequences of failure to keen up wit! Italy.’’ The fact cannot be ignore! that there lias been ton much bickering Ix'tween Italy and France, and it e difficult to avoid tilt' conclusion that Italy lias been largely responsible for tin’s. Xor lias she lieen displaying very mueli respect for the .susceptibilities of other countries.