STRESEMANN'S FIRM REPLY

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 36, 11 February 1926, Page 9

STRESEMANN'S FIRM REPLY

TO MUSSOLINI OUTBURST

RIGHTS OF MINORITIES.

(United Press Association—Copyright.)

(Reuters Telegram.)

(Eeceived 11th February, 10 a.m.)

BERLIN, 10th February.

In the Reichstag Dr. Stresemann, Foreign Minister, declared that the German Government declined to reply to Signor Mussolini's outburst in terms similar to it. Signor Mussolini's speech, he said, was more suited to mass meetings than' to international discussions. The Minister proceeded to read a statement in which he emphasised that the German Government had no quarrel with Italy. He recalled Bignor Musso-, lini's assertions in 1920 on the absence of conflicting economic and political interests between Italy and Ger- j many. The keynote of the speech, which was applauded by all parties, was the insistence of Germany 'a right to support the culture claims of her minorities abroad, and her determination to support'them before the League of Nations. Dr. Stresemann reasserted Germany's intention of respecting Italian sovereignty in the South Tyrol. "There is such a thing as international morality," he added. "Despite numerous Italian decrees promising to respect the rights of the minority in South Tyrol, the Fascist regime is steadily working towards the degermanisation of that region." FBEEDOM OF TEE PBEBB. Dr. Stresemann , admitted that the newspapers had published false reports, and that some private individuals at Munich had appealed for a boycott of Italian goods, but he declared that it would be absurd to threaten a breach of international commercial agreement owing to an unimportant moVement of private persons which the Government disowned. If Bignor Mussolini thought that the changed attitude of the German Press was due to the Government's order, he forgot that it was as impossible arbitrarily to restrict the freedom of the Press in Berlin as in Borne. The 'Beich did not intend to forbid the German Press from expressing sympathy for a land and people which had' been German for centuries. If, owing to the oppression of the people, a danger at a disturbance of peace arose, then an appeal would be made to the League of Nations. Signor Mussolini's speech was regarded all over the world as a threat of war against Germany and Austria. Such a threat was incompatible with the spirit of the League. , ' ■ • Dr. Stresemann reproved the Bavarian PreWier, and reasserted that the Beich Government was responsible for Germany's foreign policy. He concluded by saying that while Germany wanted to live at peace with Italy he repudiated the threats levelled at Germany.