GRANDI

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 29 March 1938, Page 9

GRANDI

PERSONALLY LIKED IN LONDON l ßy Air Mail—From Our Own Correspondent! LONDON. 3rd March. The Italian Ambassador, who has ; been fated to play such important and 1 unpopular roles in London during the past few years, is personally liked in < diplomatic circles, and, despite their political antagonisms, Mr Eden and | Count Grandi remained on amiable enough terms. Like Signor Mussolini. ; Grandi is a man of humble social , origin, but even in the early days of Fascism in Italy he showed his flair for diplomacy. He is said to be one of the i few in the Fascist hierarchy who will 1 argue with the Duce if they think he !is open to persuasion, and certainly he ■ shares Mussolini’s somewhat sardonic i sense of humour. His wife is one of the attractive women in London diplomatic ( life and their Embassy is a place of , great beauty. Grandi goes in for much j more social life than did his temporary ! I “axis” partner at St. James’s, Herr von ! Ribbentrop, and he has made many • friends among Conservative M.P.'s at Westminster. He does not visit the House of Commons Ambassadors’ Gallery very often. The Belgian and Soviet Russian Ambassadors easily hold the record for most frequent “personal appearances."