MASS AGITATION AGAINST ITALY

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 299, 14 September 1937, Page 11

MASS AGITATION AGAINST ITALY

Half a Million Russians Demonstrate

at Moscow

PIRATE CARICATURES OF MUSSOLINI

Soviet’s Intention of Taking Own Measures Proclaimed By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. (Received September 13, 9.40 p.m.) London, September 13. At the first Soviet mass agitation held against Italy for eleven years M. Stalin, the President of the Central Executive Committee, M Kalinin, the President of the Council of the' People’s Commissars, M. Molotov, and the Minister of the Interior, M. Ezhov, took the salute from more than 500,000 demonstrators carrying caricatures of pirate monsters in the likeness of Mussolini. The Soviet is reported to be disappointed with the result of M. Litvinov’s representations at Nyon. . . . i The Press proclaims the Soviet’s intention of “taking its own. measures against the Italian pirates.” It is reported from Geneva that the Russian delegate, M. Litvinov, protested against the Nyon agreement on the ground that it is not strong enough. He described it as weak and flabby, and therefore he only agreed to refer it to Moscow for final approval.

BRITISH PATROL

Augmenting Fleet in Mediterranean

ANTI-PIRACY PLAN

Satisfactory Features For Italy '

London, Septembc. 12.

The naval correspondent of “The Times” says that the anti-submarine agreement involves the use of some 35 British destroyers in the Mediterranean, necessitating further augmentation of the usual strength of three flotillas, comprising 27 vessels, to which four ships have already been added as an anti-piracy patrol. Four flotillas will be required, with at least one flotilla as a reserve.

Reinforcements will be sent out from the Home Fleet. Aircraft will co-oper-ate with the destroyers, increasing their range of vision.

Although the protection to shipping wijl not be absolute, piratical sinkings, which hitherto have involved little risk to the attackers, will become highly dangerous. If the Italians patrol the Tyrrhenian Sea the arrangements will be more efficient.

A message from Rome states that Signor Mussolini, after studying the an-ti-piracy plan, said that the Italians regard the exclusion of Russia from the Mediterranean as a satisfactory feature and also contend that the plan confers on General Franco’s submarines rights of war under the London Naval Treaty, which is tantamount to recognition of his navy as that of a belligerent, despite the reservation of belligerent rights. Gorman newspapers are equally gratified that Russia has been shown the door.

The . Geneva correspondent of the “Daily Mail” says that-the Foreign Secretary, Mr. Eden, as he was leaving the Nyon conference, said: “If we haven’t succeeded this time I’ll eat my hat.”