ONUS ON ITALY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 157, 3 June 1940, Page 7

ONUS ON ITALY

PEACE WITH ALLIES. WAY STILL OPEN. USE OF NEGOTIATION. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegrapn—Copyright.) (British Official Wireless.) Received June 3, 9.45 a.m. RUGBY, June 2. Reports continue to reach London of manifestations in Italy of a belligerent tendency and| in a sense hostile to the Allies. For some time now official quarters here have not felt able to deny that Italy’s early entry into the war on the side of Germany must be considered possible. It is, however, a very unusual and unwelcome situation that the British Government, which is not “'conscious of any difference between itself and Italy incapable of solution by discussion, should, nevertheless, have to contemplate the likelihood of hostile action by that country. The Anglo-Italian Agreement freely negotiated in 1936 is standing "proof that the relations and interests of the two countries in the Mediterranean and East Africa are capable of mutually satisfactory regulation without recourse to war. Italy has had good reason to know for a long time past i the readiness of both Britain and France to discuss ah legitimate Italian aspirations, but it has shown no deside to enter into conversations. Only recently, outstanding difficulties arising from the application to Italy of the Allied contraband control were made the subject of discussion between British and Italian experts, and after the recent visit of the Master of the Rolls to Rome it was confidently believed from the British side that an agreement had been reached. But this was subsequently repudiated from the Italian side. CHOICE FOR DUCE If, therefore, Signor Mussolini chooses to bring the Italian people into the war ancl accept the responsibility for extending the hostilities, and adding to the toll of life and the area of devastation, it must be clear that it is for some motive which lies outside the interests of Italy or her relations with Britain and France. Any such decision will cau°e the deepest regret in Britain for all that it will destroy in goodwill and friendship between the British and Italian peoples. Cut the prospect, does not intimidate Britain in her determination to wage to a successful conclusion the war against German aggression and the will to dominate.

GRIEVANCES AIRED. WHY ITALY MUST ENTER. Received June 3, 11.40 a.m. ROME, June 2. Signor Ansaldo, editor of Count Ciano’s paper Telegrafo, in a broadcast to tho Italian forces, said: “The Italian military preparations begun last autumn have reached a conclusive stage. There are two reasons why Italy must be present in the war. Firstly, it is impossible for a great nation to stay out of a conflict in which the fate of a continent is being decided., We would no longer be a great nation if we did not intervene in time. “Secondly, Italy achieved an Alpine frontier in the last war but did not secure complete independence and justice in the Mediterranean and colonial realms. Our independence in the Mediterranean must be utterly complete.” ITALIAN THREATS. MORE MEN CALLED UP. ROME, June 1. Ten thousand non-commissioned officers have been called up, supplementing the 50,000 called up in the autumn. The Spanish military mission, consisting of 30 high officers, visited Genoa and Milan to-day and went to Germany in the evening. The Italian Press is continuing its pro-German policy, and Italy’s claims to Corsica are voiced by one paper, which, after repeating the claim that Corsica is Italian, says that the problem' of the island must be finally settled during the present European war.

According to the German News Agency, the Italian Ambassador to Germany was received by Hitler at his headquarters to-day. Herr von Ribbentrop (Nazi Foreign Minister) is said to have been present at the interview. The head of the Italian tourist and information office in New York has announced his withdrawal from that organisation. His position made him a direct representative of the Italian Government in promoting goocfwill between Italy and the United States, -and his resignation was made as a protest against what he described as “Mussolini’s'co-operation with Hitler.” A Paris message says that, the Government has decided that it will not approve the Franco-Italian economic agreement, awaiting signature. A spokesman declared the decision resulted from the rupture of the AngloItalian economic negotiations. Washington reports that President Roosevelt’s secretary (Mr Early) denied the report that President Roosevelt talked, by telephone with Signor Mussolini.