ARMAMENTS RACE

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 447, 1 June 1937, Page 5

ARMAMENTS RACE

CONFERENCE PLAN MUSSOLINI'S DENIAL Italy Will Continue Arming Press Association —Copyright. (Received 10.5 a.m.) Milan, May 31. Signor Mussolini in an unsigned article in Popolo d’ltalla elucidates his interview with American papers on May 26. He denied that he spoke of an invitation to President Roosevelt for a disarmament conference and declared that all he said was that Italy would willingly participate in such a conference. Disarmament was impossible, said the Dictator, but the arms race must end in war or social disaster if it were long continued. Therefore he desired to investigate the possibility of limiting future armament programmes, both qualitatively and quantitatively. Italyjavourod disarmament, though not because she lacked the financial means to complete her fouryear programme.

Italy would continue arming because she had two advantages over other countries—the spirit of the people and a geographical position favouring strategy at sea and in the air.