DISAPPOINTMENT FELT IN ITALY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 17 January 1939, Page 5

DISAPPOINTMENT FELT IN ITALY

AVOIDANCE OF WAR DESIRED j MUSSOLINI AND SPANISH CONFLICT it'.P.A.—By Electric Telegraph—Copy rightl •; LONDON, 15th January, j According to the Rome correspond- j ent of the “Daily Telegraph,’’ a sense j of disappointment accompanied Mr Chamberlain’s departure from Rome. Popular feeling had assumed that Mr Chamberlain, by a wave of his magic umbrella, would remove Italy from the threat of another war. It should not be overlooked that Italy has been at war for three years, which has exhausted her war reserves, notably aircraft, and, though Italian hotheads are confident that Italy can embark on a conflict against France, Signor Mussolini has a clearer appreciation of the true position. Italy’s claims will not be dropped, but, if the initiative is left to her, they will not be pushed to the thrcshhold of war. Germany is reliably stated to be counselling caution. It is officially stated in Rome that Signor Mussolini told Mr Chamberlain that, till the Spanish conflict had ended, it was absolutely useless to talk of Italo-French arbitration, or of a FourPower Pact—still less of a ThreePower Pact. He added that Italy would resume liberty of action if there was any big scale intervention on behalf of Barcelona. Italians would not be withdrawn till General Franco was granted belligerent rights. ITALIANS AND FRENCH SOMALILAND (Received 17th January, 9.0 a.m.) LONDON, 16th January. The Jibuti correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” says that a number of Italian officers, after enrolling native troops in Harrar, have arrived at Adagalla, in Abyssinia, where they are preparing a base with the object of connecting Adagalla and Eritrea by a road across French territory (French Somaliland).