ITALY’S CARDS ON THE TABLE

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 286, 30 August 1935, Page 7

ITALY’S CARDS ON THE TABLE

Dispute can be Settled only by Victory of Italian Arms

MUSSOLINI’S ADDRESS TO CABINET

Hope For British Co-operation in Civilising

Abyssinia

Bv Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.

(Received August 29, 7.35 p.m.)

London, August 29. The “Daily Telegraph’s” Bolzano correspondent says that Signor Mussolini, in a 45-minute speech at the meeting of Cabinet, declared that the Abyssinian dispute could only be settled by the victory o Italian arms. • , . , , r . His object would be twofold—to wipe out the Adowa defeat and to place himself in a position to dictate peace terms to the Emperor. If the League voted for the application of sanctions, even moral ones, or censured Italv she would leave Geneva. . ... , The punitive expedition against Abyssinia could be localised unless the League started action ending in war and possibly the loss p millions of lives. Italy needed 50 years of quiet work to colonise and civilise Abyssinia. In this work Italy hoped to have the association, noti antagonism, of the British Empire. . , . He added that for 13 years Italy had been trying to develop friendly co-operation with Abyssinia, but every time treaties had been signed they had been violated. The Emperor came to Rome in 1928 and signed, a treaty of friendship. This had been broken. Moreover, Abyssinia had been arming for many years.