WHAT ITALY WANTS

Greymouth Evening Star, 10 August 1935, Page 7

WHAT ITALY WANTS

BRITISH POLICY SUSPECTED CONFERENCE PROSPECTS

[BY CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYBIGHT.]

LONDON, August 9.

“The Times’s” Paris correspondent says: The official opening of the conference between England, France and Italy on Abyssinia has been fixed for Thursday next, August 15. “The Times’s” Rome correspondent says: Italy will attend the conference determined to uphold her rights and her interests in Abyssinia. She, apparently, does not expect any positive results to emerge from the conference, but the usefulness, or even the necessity of holding the conference is recognised. since it will, at least, finally clarify the respective positions and attitudes of England and of France towards the italo-Abyssinian dispute. The correspondent adds: —An article in the paper “Affari Estere” which is believed- .to. reflect Italian., official opinion, emphasises the following: — “We ask for nothing better' than an assurance that England is not defending in Abyssinia under a cloak of general principles, her own particular interests; and that-she does, not wish for reasons of principle or of general policy, to suffocate every possibility of Italian expansion. If England will only bring to these negotiations the same spirit as Italy brings and if she does not take up a rigid position on questions of principle or of prestige, then fin agreement should be neither difficult nor impossible; and, if so desired, it can be registered as another League victory.”

U.S.A. MEDIATOR

LONDON, August 9.

The “Daily Mail’s” Nice correspondent says: Mr. J. W. Gerard, who was the United States Ambassador at Berlin, during the Great War, and who has been holidaying at Cap- Dantibes, has urgently been summoned by the United States Government to proceed to Rome. He left immediately for a meeting with Signor Mussolini, which has been specially arranged for 4 p.m., to-day. It is believed that he will be asked to act as mediator in the dispute between Italy and Abyssinia. DESERTERS INTO SWITZERLAND. (Recd. Agust 10, 12.30 p.m.) GENEVA, August 9. As the result of the steady stream of deserters escaping from Italy into Italian-speaking districts of Switzerland, the frontier guards have been strengthened. The usual exits are carefully watched. Many are using wild mountain tracks, risking their lives, and secretly crossing the lakes at night to escape being drafted to Abyssinia. The Swiss Government is greatly concerned about the propaganda in the Ticino’ district for union with Italy, and has charged two journalists, Colombo and Signotrina Bontejmpti, with high treason because they carried on a campaign in favour of Italy annexing Italian Switzerland.