STAY NEUTRAL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 209, 5 September 1939, Page 7

STAY NEUTRAL.

ITALY'S RESOLVE.

Mussolini's Compromise Plan Not Acceptable.

TORPEDOED BY BRITAIN? liiited Press Association.—Copyright. (Received 11..'10 a.m.) LONDON, September 4. Italian liners are to resume sailings in a lew days, indicating Italy's determination to maintain neutrality, says a Rome message. It is stated that Italy expects France and Britain to continue normal relations despite the Italo-German military alliance. A Copenhagen message says the Danish Press points out that Signor Mussolini's compromise plan was naturally not acceptable to Britain and France. "Politiken ' draws attention to the general lack of war enthusiasm and hate. It says something unreal hangs over all.

The "'Hamburger Frenulenblatt" savs Signor Mussolini s proposals were the immediate cessation of hostilitiv~. the respective armies in Poland to maintain their positions: and. second! v. the summoning of an immediate five-Power conference. Germany accepted and France agreed in principle, but Britain torpedoed the proposal at the twelfth hour.

An official Xnte reviewing the Italian peace efforts, after Britain and France had made German withdrawal from Poland a pre-requisite of any conference, outlines the various contacts Signor Mussolini made with the Governments concerned, says a Rome message. After Britain and France had made the evacuation of the occupied territories a fundamental condition of their participation in an international conference the Italian Government limited itself to advising Herr Hitler of this condition, adding that unless the Cf>rman Government decided differently Italy did not think it po—ible t<> continue her activities.

BELGIUM'S KfXC.

TAKES ARMY COMMAND.

(Received 12 noon.)

BRUSSELS. September 4. Kin" Leopold has taken command of the Belgian Arm v. He has ™tnbut*i 0,000 francs to the Belgiai. Red C