THE POLICY OF ITALY

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23002, 23 April 1940, Page 9

THE POLICY OF ITALY

“ WILL BE AMONG THE VICTORS ” SEMI-OFFICIAL PRESS COMMENT (UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT.) (Received April 22, 2 p.m.) ROME, April 21. Signor Mussolini, in a short speech on the anniversary of the foundation of Rome, said; “Our watchword is ‘Labour and arms.’ ” Signor Ansaldo, director of the newspaper “II Telegrafo,” owned by the Foreign Minister, Count Ciano, said the armed forces of Italy were ready for. action at any moment. “Entire peoples are staking all their forces and resources in the present war because the vanquished, cannot delude themselves regarding their fate. They will be expropriated and impoverished. The victors will monopolise the world’s resources and nothing can prevent them from acting otherwise. Italy will be among the victors only if she is really strong.” The question, “Where stands Italy?” is still being asked. General Mackensen, German Ambassador to Italy, arrived in Berlin yesterday from Rome by aeroplane. It is reported that he was urgently summoned to Bei'lin, and his departure from Rome was revealed only when he did not attend the German colony’s celebration of Hitler’s birthday. Rome newspapers have not repeated the recent intensive attacks on the Allies. German exploits continue to dominate the war news, but the newspapers report considerable British and French concentration near Trondheim. The Official News Agency reports the French Premier (M. Reynaud) as declaring: “A Mediterranean entente alone could consolidate peace.” The Rome correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” says that German agents are actually telling Italians the date of Italy’s entry into the war—May 15.