ITALIAN MEASURES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 120, 19 April 1940, Page 7

ITALIAN MEASURES.

STEPS TO DISPEL RUMOURS. Received April 19, 11 a.m. HOME, April 18. The Government has taken steps to quell rumours of Italy’s intentions. An official statement denies that Bari is a prohibited area and denies all suggestions of mobilisation. It says the few men called up are only a few thousand previously exempt for medical reasons and now declared fit for service. It is officially announced that an exchange of military missions is taking place between Italy and Germany. Some missions have already arrived in Rome. The exchanges form part of the general programme with the object of maintaiing contact between the armed forces of the two nations. ITALY' S~ATTI-TU DE. CRITICISM EXPRESSED. LONDON, April 18. Referring in a speech to the hostile attitude of the Italian Press, the Minister of Economic Warfare (Mr R. H. Cross) said: “If Italy wishes treatment as a neutral, she must behave as one. The Italian Press has recently adopted a tone towards Britain which could only be fairly described as hostile. ! “We have no quarrel with Italy. We wish to be friends, but we are plaindealing, plain-speaking people and should like to know where we stand with Italy.” A Paris message states that the speech has caused the greatest satisfaction in French official circles, where tlie opinion is expressed that it is time to find out what Italy wants and what she is going to do. The New York Times Washington correspondent states that reports to official quarters in Washington indicate that Spain’s understanding with Italy is extremely close. “There are increasing indications,” he says, “that the Italian forces which are opposing entry into the war against the Allies will not prevail if Signor 'Mussolini ■is determined to act.” The State Department is conferring or, the possibility of a rapid extension of the active war fronts. The New York Times Rome correspondent believes that the continued losses in Italian industrial stocks indicate impending trouble and suggests that this is either.the result of accumulated war worries or because influential inside circles have knowledge denied to the public. i