FRANCE AND ITALY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20564, 15 May 1930, Page 9

FRANCE AND ITALY.

MUSSOLINI'S REMARKS. STORM OF RESENTMENT, REGARDED AS IMPROPER. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received May 14, 10.25 p.m.) PARIS, May 14. Tho speech made at Leghorn to a gathering of Fascists by the Prime Minister of Italy, Signor Mussolini, warning aggressors, lias aroused a storm of resentment in the French press, which emphasises its impropriety on tho eve of the Geneva conversations. BRITISH HOPES. UNDERSTANDING SOUGHT. CONVERSATIONS AT GENEVA. British "Wireless. RUGBY, May 13. Hopes aro entertained in London that privalo conversations now proceeding at Geneva will contribute to tho completion of the outstanding difficulties in the relations between Franco and Italy. Tho light agenda at the meeting of the Council of tho League of Nations gives favourable opportunities for formal talks between Ministers, and naturally questions arising out of tho discussions at the London Naval Conference aro among those under reference. Tho British Foreign Secretary, Mr. Arthur Henderson, who had conversations with tho French Foreign Minister, M. Briand, in Paris on his way to Geneva, yesterday lunched, with Signor Grandi (Italy), who is to-day lunching with M. Briand. In conversation with newspaper correspondents last evening, Mr. Henderson said he would bo delighted if ho could contribute to a mutual understanding between Franco and Italy. Ho expressed himself in profound agreement with Signor Grandi's recent statement that disarmament, which was a matter of years, not months, could only bo settled through tho League. He praised tho results of tho Naval Conference and spoke of tho connection between its work and tho work of tho Preparatory Commission on Disarmament. It would have been unwise to bold a meeting of tho Preparatory Commission this summer, said Air. Henderson. It jvas well that it had been postponed till November. That delay would give time for fresh efforts to solve tho difficulty of naval requirements and so help to simplify the work of tho commission.