ITALIAN BATTLESHIPS

Greymouth Evening Star, 8 June 1937, Page 7

ITALIAN BATTLESHIPS

MUSSOLINI’S PROPOSAL.

[by CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.]

LONDON, June 7

The Rome correspondent of the “Morning Post” says it is understood that Signor Mussolini intends to order th© immediate construction of two 35,000-ton battleships if Mr Roosevelt does not respond to his suggestion to summon a world conference on arms limitation. It is reported that the plans for the vessels are.already completed and approved. The impression, prevails in some diplomatic circles that Signor Mussolini is hoping for a. limitation of arms to curtail British rearmament, which he largely stimulated by his conquest of Abyssinia.

It now transpires that the ScuppsHoward newspapers were alone among the British and American journals in publishing the report of Signor Mussolini’s appeal to Mr Roosevelt. In doing so, they made the following comment. “Mussolini is willing to stand on the hand he holds in Europe’s armament poker game, but he does not mention that what worries him is Britain’s bright new stack of armament chips. His own stacks have grown smaller, as he has raised the bets all round the table, and now he cannot afford to‘be. caught bluffing.”

NAVAL REVIEW.

(Received June 8,2 p.m.) NAPLES, June 7.

Marshal von Blomberg spent eight and a-half hours with Signor Mussolini, aboard the flagship Duca d’Aosta, watching a naval yeview, in which an unprecedented number of submarines, namely 70, participated, with 60 surface vessels.

HONOURS FROM GERMANY

(Received June 8, 11 a.m.) BERLIN, June 7

Signor Mussolini and Count Ciano are the first recipients of the Grand Cross of the German Eagle, which Herr Hitler recently created, and reserved for foreigners whom he desires tc. honour.

AMBASSADOR’S SPEECH

[BRITISH OFFICIAL WIRELESS.] RUGBY, June 7. Asked in the Commons, whether the speech delivered by His Majesty’s Ambassador at Berlin (Sir Neville Henderson) on June 1, represented the view of the Government, the Foreign Secretary replied: “The speech of the Ambassador was made on a social and unofficial occasion, when there was no question of expressing the views of His Majesty’s Government, and I see no reason for action of any kind.”

From the Labour benches, a member asked if it were part of the functions of an Ambassador to criticise the opinion of those in Britain, who wore opposed to dictatorships. Mr. Eden replied: “1 do not read in the Ambassador’s speech the sentiment which has been attributed to him, nor do I understand that he criticised those in this country, who preferred. as we all do in this House, the democratic form of Government."