WORDS TO ITALY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 December 1940, Page 4

WORDS TO ITALY

MR WINSTON CHURCHILL’S BROADCAST ONE MAN RESPONSIBLE. LONG FRIENDSHIP WICKEDLY BROKEN. In an Empire-wide broadcast, the Prime Minister, Mr Winston Churchill devoted himself to a survey of Italy’s position, stating that one man and one man alone was responsible for Italy being plunged into war. After referring to the long friendship that existed between Great Britain and Italy and to the fact that in the Great War, Italy was Britain’s ally, Mr Churchill said for fifteen years after the Great Wan they were still friends and could still walk together in peace and goodwill. He then proceeded to discuss evenfs which brought about a change in Italy’s attitude, which arose from the Covenant of the League of Nations. This Covenant bound all signatories, including Italy, to come to the aid of any people attacked by another. Abyssinia asked to be admitted and Mussolini insisted that she should become a member of the League. Following Italy’s at- i tacks on Abyssinia the quarrel with Britain arose. Nothing that happened in Abyssinia had justified the deadly strife that had broken out between Britain and Italy. No one in Italy was consulted when Italy came into the present war and one man and one man alone was responsible. Mr Churchill read a message he sent to Mussolini on May 16, at the time when the battle in France was still raging, appealing, but not from weakness or fear, to Italy to refrain from going to war. On May 18 Mussolini replied drawing attention to the widening gulf between the two countries, reminding Mr Churchill of Britain’s imposition of sanctions against Italy and stating that Italy would stand by the Axis. Mr Churchill said he would make no comment on that message, as- it spoke for itself. He then asked, what position did Italy face today? On the one hand were the strength and might of the British Empire on land sea and air, and on the other the hordes of ravagers, and gangs of the Gestapo, who would occupy, hold down and “protect” the Italian people. One man and one man alone was responsible and Mr Churchill said he would leave this unfolding story, though he believed the day would come when the Italian nation would once more shake hands with Britain.