TENSE POSITION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 June 1940, Page 5

TENSE POSITION

CREATED BY ITALY DEFINITION OF BRITISH ATTITUDE. WILL KNOW HOW TO MEET ATTACK. High quarters in London state, a Daventry broadcast reports, that there is no change in the general tension in the Mediterranean. Britain had shown herself ready to meet Italian aspirations. In regard to contraband control arrangements had been reached which were considered by Italian experts as satisfactory, but the Italian Government had declined to co-

operate. Great Britain was willing to meet and discuss with Italy matters relating to Italian aspirations, but the Italian Government had never been willing to. enter into conversations on these mat-' ters. There were no differences between the two countries that could not be solved and if the Italian Government had recourse to war, the responsibility would be theirs alone, and Great Britain would know how to meet the attack.

Signor Ansaldo, director of Count Ciano’s newspaper, in a broadcast, said Italian military preparations had now reached the crucial stage. There were moral and political reasons why Italy must join in the war. ACTION BY FRANCE APPROVAL OF AGREEMENT WITHHELD. PARIS, June 1. The Government has decided that it will not approve the Franco-Italian economic agreement, awaiting signature. A spokesman declared the decision resulted from rupture of Anglo-Italian economic negotiations. ITALIAN NON-COMS. 'ANOTHER TEN THOUSAND 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 ahd Milan today and went to Germany in the evening.

ITALY ACCUSED HER REAL MOTIVES KEPT IN BACKGROUND. NO EFFECT ON BRITISH RESOLVE. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day 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 ab'e to deny that Italy’s early entry into war on the side of Germany must be consided possible. It is, however, a very unusual and unwelcome situation that the British Government, which is not conscious of any difference between its-:.f and Italy that is 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 a 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 the readiness of both Britain and France to discuss all legitmate Italian aspirations, but it has shown no desire to enter ipto 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. After the recent visits of the Master of the Rolls (Sir W. Green) 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. If, therefore, Signor Mussolini chooses to bring the Italian poeple into the war and accept the responsibility for extending hostilities and adding to the toll of life and 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 would be against tne goodwill and triencusnip that exists between the British and Italian peoples, but the prospect does not intimidate Britain in her determination to wage to a successful conclusion the war against German aggression and will to dominate.