ITALY'S AIM

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22435, 3 June 1936, Page 13

ITALY'S AIM

BRITISH GOODWILL

MUSSOLINI ANXIOUS

'ALTERNATIVES FEABED

LEAGUE AND SANCTIONS

-NEXT VITAL MEETING

Jsy Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright

(Received June 2, 6.5 p.m.) LONDON. June 1

A message from Rome states that the Earl of Mansfield and Mr. A. 3t. Wise, Conservative member of the H° u se of Commons for Smethwick, representing 50 anti-sanctionist members of Parliament, who already had visited Herr Hitler and Prince Starhemberg, accepted an invitation from Signor Mussolini to have a conversation with him. Subsequently they stated that II Duce ■vras anxious to revive friendship between Italy and Britain.

Evidence is reaching London from all quarters of Italy's anxiety to establish better relations with Britain before tijia fateful date of June 16, when the league will face the accomplished fact of Italy's conquest of Abyssinia. vA reliable authority iin Rome says an atmosphere of optimism has been created already, accompanied by a marked drop iin anti-British propaganda. It is difficult, however, to ascertain the facts on. which the change is based, for there have been no signs from London of any change in the government's policy against bilateral agreements outside the League. * There is one important factor, namely* fear —Italy's fears of the effects of- 1 Haili Selassie's visit to London; fears of the fusion of anti-Fascist passion in Britain and France; fears of the influence of British religious opinion, fanned by the Archbishop of Canterbury's repeated denunciations; and, finally, fear concerned with the diminution of Italy's trade and gold reserve.

These factors may be sufficient to account for Italy's sudden courtship of Britain. The Daily Mail's Rome cotrespondent confirms the wave of optimism.

VISIT TO ROME AUSTRIAN CHANCELLOR WILL SEE MUSSOLINI •; / ; (Received Jurie 2; 7,55 p.m.} • VIENNA. Juno- 1 The Chancellor of Austria, Dr. Bchuschnigg, has gone tp Italy in circiimstances of the greatest secrecy. A communique says he has gone on a short holiday, but it is admitted that he will see Sigtior Mussolini before he returns at the end of the week.

ABYSSINIA'S FUTURE

NEW CONSTITUTION. ; : ITALIAN ! EAST AFRICA HOME, Jtine 1 The Italian Cabinet has promulgated a. constitution :for Abyssinia, combined with .Eritrea and Somaliland, under the mame of Italian East Africa. The new Empire will be ruled by the Viceroy, who will have supreme power. He will be assisited by two consultative bodies, namely, the Governing Council, consisting of the highest State officials, and a Consultative Council, including •sis Italian citizens appointed by the Viceroy from agricultural, industrial and .commercial interests, and six native chiefs and notables. . ,

. , East Africa will.be divided into five Governorships: Amhara, Galla, Harrar, Somaliland and Eritrea. The Coptic Church will be recognised and respected m all Christian parts of Abyssinia.

v? It is /announced in Vatican circles that the Pope intends to establish a Itoman Catholic hierarchy in Abyssinia by the appointment of an archbishop with six or seven bishops.