WORLD DEFIED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22231, 4 October 1935, Page 11

WORLD DEFIED

| WARLIKE SPEECH IL DUCE DETERMINED FERVOUR OF ITALIANS FULL MOBILISATION L Dy Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright HOME. Oct. 2 One hundred thousand Italians, the capital's quota of 20,000,000 who listened to the broadcast of a speech | by II Duce in every public square throughout Italy to-day, filled the Piazza Venezie with clamorous demands for Signor Mussolini. Soldiers cleared the way for the Fascist formations as they marched in under torchlights and banners. I The cheers swelled to a deafeningroar when Signor Mussolini appeared on the balcony. A body of enthusiastic students broke through the police cordon. Three hundred soldiers and policemen guarded the British Embassy and a triple rank of infantrymen protected the remote Abyssinian Legation. Signor Mussolini did not announce the outbreak of hostilities, nor do the I Italian newspapers publish details of the reported crossing of the frontier. Italy's Patience Exhausted II Duco, addressing himself directly ! to Abyssinia, dramatically exclaimed: — | "Ethiopia, we have been patient for j 30 years. It is enough." To the League of Nations Signor MusI solini said: "The League talks of sanc- | tions. We must nob profess ignorance of that possibility, but I refuse to believe that the real people of Britain and France will associate themselves with sanctions in defence of a barbarous nation. "To act 3 of war we shall reply with acts of war, doing our utmost to ensure that this colonial conflict shall not assume European dimensions. It is not [ only our army that marches to its goal; I 40,000,000 Italians march with it stop for step. Sacrifices ol the Great War "Fate's wheel is moving faster and 1 faster and cannot be arrested. "The Allies promised Italy many | things in recognition of her support in ! 1915, but after sacrificing 670,000 dead, 400,000 crippled and 1,000,000 wounded to ensure a common victory, Italy received only crumbs from the peace table of the rich colonial dinner, which went to others. "Measures of a military character will be met by measures of a military character. We shall reply to economio sanctions with discipline and a spirit of sacrifice. Cry lor Justice and lor Victory "The solemn hour is sounding in the history of the Fatherland," continued 11 Duce. "Twenty million Italians are gathered in all the squares of Italy with one heart and one will, signifying the complete identity of Italy with Fascism. "Italy, to your feet I Let your cries affirming your unshakable devotion bring comfort and assurance to our soldiers as they gird themselves for battle. This is Italy's word, which goes beyond the mountains and the seas. It is the cry for justice and for victory." Thunderovs applause marked the conclusion of the speech, after which the mobilisation of Fascists throughout Italy was announced. INVASION REPORT DENIAL FROM ROME CONCERN AT GENEVA . LONDON. Oct. 2 Although two statements from Addis Ababa record that Italian troops "Tossed the frontier of Ethiopia in the iindemarcated area west of Mount Vlussa Ali, near the junction of French Somaliland and the Italian territory of Britrea, and that the Emperor had telegraphed a protest to Geneva requesting the immediate despatch of a commission of inqviiry, a message from Rome officially denies the allegations. The Italian Foreign Office announces that the Italian troops in Eritrea have, as a precaution, .noved into new and better positions, in view of the increasingly hostile attitude of the Abyssinians. A denial of frontier clashes is forthcoming from the same source. The Crow Prince of Ethiopia is taking steps to harass Italian invaders, i A message from Geneva says Signor Mussolini's fiery broadcast is regarded with the utmost gravity. To-day's events explain Baron Aloisi's anxiety to ensure tho closure instead of the adjournment of tho League Assembly, the resummoning of which i 3 also felt to bo justified. At present only one minor official constitutes the Italian delegation. The Geneva correspondent of the Associated Press says that after three days of superficial calm the rumoured Italian advance galvanised Geneva. When the League received the Emperor's urgent despatch it was immediately communicated to the delegations. Tho Emperor Haili Selassie's reference to the ease of observation in the Mussa Ali area is likely to lead to the despatch of an impartial observer, who svould operate by air from French Somaliland. This can be rapidly arranged and confirmation of the Italian movements can be easily established. It is understood that the transfer of a strip of French territory in Somaliland, coded to Italy in January, has not yet been carried out. Therefore the Italians would still be violating French territory if they endeavoured to utilise it for the -novemont of troops. FLAMING HEADLINES PARIS NEWSPAPERS (Received Ootobor 4, 1.5 a.m.) PARIS. Oct. 8 flaming headlines in the largest type •n the newspapers report the Italian advance in Abyssinia. Comments range from denunciations >f Signor Mussolini as a war-monger to ippeals tor caution. L'Echo do Paris surprisingly opposes anti-Italian action. It says: "As Britain refused an alliance with France, Frenchmen revolt against the idea of treason to proud and courageous Italy, who alone has held back Hitler from the Danube."