MIDDLE EUROPE

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 94, 22 April 1935, Page 7

MIDDLE EUROPE

ROME MEETING POSTPONED

LAT,E DEFEATED POWERS

LONDON, April 20.

The "Daily Telegraph's" diplomatic correspondent states that the Little Entente Powers, comprising Czechoslovakia, Rumania, and Yugoslavia, will insist that their security must be guaranteed before revision of the military restrictions imposed on Austria, Hungary, and Bulgaria. They further desire that all remaining matters in dispute between themselves and Italy be removed. The conference at Rome is therefore unlikely to be held before mid-June.

At Rome Signor Mussolini had a lengthy conference with Prince Starhemberg, Vice-Chancellor of Austria, and discussed the objections of the Little Entente to the re-armament of Austria, Hungary, and Bulgaria, and the difficulties likely to face the Austrian Government regarding conscription. The date of the conference was postponed owing to the necessity of further preparatory talks. Prince Starhemberg has been in Rome for two days studying the Fascist system. It

is reported that Italy may send a military mission to assist in training Austria's new army.

The British United Press correspondent states that Prince Starhemberg sought Mussolini's agreement for an army of 80,000.

A cable message dated April 15 stated that M. Laval, the French Foreign Minister, had won the support of the Little Entent Powers for granting of larger armies to Austria, Hungary, and Bulgaria, with a~ maximum of 75,000 each, compared with their request for armies of 100,000 men each.