WATCH ON ITALY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 May 1940, Page 5

WATCH ON ITALY

MEANING OF THE BRITISH PRECAUTIONS NO CHANGE IN ATTITUDE.' HOPES THAT GOOD SENSE MAY PREVAIL. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY. April 30. It would be unwise to attribute to the British precautions in the Mediterranean (the diversion of merchantmen to the Cape route) a significance greater than the nature of the measures and the authoritative explanation which has been given would warrant. Recent manifestations had obviously left the British authorities with little choice but to adopt safeguards dictated by normal prudence, but the decision, equally obviously, reflects no change in the attitude of London either to Italy or to those many questions regarding which the common interest's of Italy and Britain have been shown so often to be capable of harmonious regulation while goodwill obtains on both- sides. Nor is there any recent development in- the international situation which, so far as can be discerned from here, should affect the Italian attitude or alter those fundamental considerations arising from Italy's natural and secular national interests which would seem to guide Signor Mussolini’s policy of non-belligerency. There exists, therefore, a very lively hope among observers in London that the circumstances which necessitated the present precautions will prove of quite a temporary character. BRITISH ACTION IGNORED BY ITALIAN PRESS. REJOICING OVER GERMANS’ • “GREAT SUCCESSES.” (Received This Day. 9.15 a.m.) ROME, May 1. The Italian Press ignores the British precautions in the Mediterranean and concentrates in rejoicing over the alleged great German successes in Norway. The liner Rex has sailed for New York and others - left\ according to schedule. An official “Gazette” announces the appointment of a committee to ensure rapid and orderly transition of the Italian telephone and telegraph •communications to a war footing.