MUSSOLINI ANGRY

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 May 1938, Page 9

MUSSOLINI ANGRY

CRISIS OVER SPAIN NEW PACT ENDANGERED [BY CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.] (Received May 19, 1 p.m.) LONDON, May 18. The Australian Associated Press learns that communications which reached Downing Street in the past few hours indicate that Europe faces another crisis—again over /Spain. The central figure is Signor Mussolini, who is angry because 1 General Franco has not yet won. He is now further hampered by the French refusal io close the Pyrennean frontier. IL is understood that the British Cabinet discussed the situation to-day. It appears that the Duce, in accordance with the thesis that dictators are always right, is most uncompromising towards the French, the sequel to which, it is feared, may be the dispatch of Italian reinforcements to Spain, which would threaten the Anglo-Italian agreement.

QUESTIONS IN COMMONS. [BRITISH OFFICIAL WIRELESS.] RUGBY, May 18. Several questions on the Spanish situation and the French-Italian conversations were answered in the Commons by the Under-Secretary of Foreign Affairs. Mr. Arthur Hendersrn asked for ?r assurance that the British Go.c’.a.nc,.. would support the French Government in resisting Italian pressure to change French policy towards the Spanish Government. Mr. Butler, in reply, stated that the good offices of the British Government were always at the disposal of the French and Italian Governments, should they desire them, with a view to expediting a settlement of the Spanish situation.

Mr. Henderson: In view of the fact that the policies of the French Government and the British Government in relation to Spain are the same, does the British Government intend to allow the Italian Government to drive a wedge between them on this question?

Mr. Butler: I do not necessarily accept the interpretation Mr. Henderson puts on Signor Mussolini’s speech, and I cannot therefore give the assurances he desires.

Replying to another question, by Mr Noel Baker, who wished to know whether he could define the circumstances in which His Majesty’s Government would consider that a settlement of the Spanish question had been arrived at, Mr. Butler said that he could not go further than the statement made by the Prime Minister on May 2. Mr. Baker: Does the Government accept or repudiate the definition Signor Mussolini has now given, that there must be a victory for General Franco, before a settlement can be arrived at?

Mr. Butler: The Government policy is given by the Prime Minister, and not by anyone else. A question asked by Mr. Wedgwood Benn referred to the interview between the Premier and the Italian Ambassador. It was private, and he is not prepared to answer questions as to its nature. The Right Honourable member must not assume that the Prime Minister gave an explanation of the words cited in his question.

REBELS RESUME ATTACK (Recd. May 19, 1.30 p.m.). BURGOS, May 18. After a partial lull for three weeks, the insurgents have again launched an attack between Teruel and the sea, and claim advances, dominating Mosqueruela, and gaining 62 square miles of territory since May 15. Heavy rain brought the offensive to a standstill, to-day. The Republicans claim that they have captured Corbalan.

MANY ITALIANS KILLED LONDON, May 18. The “Daily Telegraph’s” Barcelona correspondent says that the insurgents blame the weather for slowing up the advance on Sast’ellon, but the delays are believed to be due to the difficulty of replacing casualties. It is admitted that many hundreds of Italians have been killed, and as the average of dead to wounded is one to five, the Italian losses must have hampered General Franco.

ITALIAN TRAINING (Reed. May 19, 2 p.m.J. ROME, May 18. On the Duce’s command, Signor Starace has been ordered to complete the application of the decree issued on December 31, 1934, providing for the military training of males aged from eight to 55 years. Henceforth, all youths. including sporting organisations, will be .controlled by the military organisations, for drafting to land, sea, and air formations', with a view to the earliest possible military training.