DUCE’S APPEAL

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 444, 27 May 1937, Page 5

DUCE’S APPEAL

ARMS LIMITATION REPORTED APPROACH TO U.S.A. Official London Circles Without Knowledge Press Association —Copyright. (Received 11.5 a.m) London, May 26. Official circles' are not aware of any approach by Signor Mussolini to America to call a Limitation of Armaments Conference. A cable message from Washington states; — Signor Muss’olini’s appeal to President Roosevelt to call a world arms limitation conference was received with marked coldness. Mr Roosevelt signified his unreadiness to comment by saying he had not seen it. Other officials said it was unlikely that Mr Roosevelt would act because of advices recently received from Britain that she was not interested in an arms conference and intended to proceed with her building programme. It is a definite understanding at Washington that Britain will not agree to participate until her rearmament is completed. Britain has pointed out that she is not only committed to the programme in policy, but has also made financial commitments. British Rearmament. The impression prevailed in some diplomatic circles that Signor Mussolini is hopeful of arms limitation in order to curtail British rearmament, which he largely stimulated by the conquest of Ethiopia. In such circumstances diplomats are convinced that Britain will not consent to a, conference.

Officials expressed the view that the United States will not move, for a world conference on economic or any important subjects until the Imperial Conference concludes and Britain determines her position regarding such questions.

The Brussels correspondent of the London Daily Telegraph says that Signor Mussolini In an interview is reported to have said that Ithly in the Mediterranean was now in a position to resist all attacks, “and I am not the only one to know it.” Peace would be in danger as long as the Spanish problem was not settled. He intended to publish, a list of Italian losses in Spain, “because I want our sacrifices for the defence of Europe against Communism to be known.”