HAND OF IL DUCE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22469, 13 July 1936, Page 9

HAND OF IL DUCE

SUGGESTED TRIUMPH BENEFITS TO ITALY RESULTS SUMMARISED By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received July 12, 6.35 p.m.) LONDON. July 12 The Rome correspondent of the Ohserver attributes the Austro-Gei-man agreement to Signor Mussolini's diplomacy. He says II Duce has achieved an important triumph. The inclusion of the Rome protocol rids Italy of the danger of the Brenner frontier which has dominated Italian life since the Great War. Also it has eliminated the possibility of an "Anschluss" (a union) which would be a casus belli to Italy. A message from Berlin states that the Government spokesman in summarising the results of the agreement, expressed the opinion that the newspapers of both countries would bo readmitted. Austria would remit the 1000 marks tax on visiting Germans; an amnesty for political prisoners would be arranged and both nations would be permitted to show their national emblems within the other's borders. The spokesman added that the agreement was not made in response to the British questionnaire but was a confirmation of Germany's peaceful intentions.

STATEMENT DENIED HERR HITLER'S MOTIVE CONCILIATING BRITAIN (Received July 12, 5.5 p.m.) VIENNA, July 11 It is stated in official circles in Vienna that Signor Mussolini had nothing to do with the agreement which was concluded between Dr. Schuschnigg and Herr von Papen alone. It was due to Herr Hitler's desire to conciliate Britain and leave Germany free to deal with problems elsewhere in Europe, including Danzig. LEADERS' SPEECHES STEP TOWARD PEACE LESSENING OF TENSION AUSTRIAN NAZIS WARNED (Received July 12, 6.35 p.m.) LONDON, July 11 A message from Berlin states that Dr. Goebbels, in broadcasting the announcement of tho agreement with Austria, RDoke for threo minutes. He prefixed the reading of the communique with the remark that the agreement represented a further practical step toward a peaceful lessening of tension and the disentanglement of the European situation. A telegram from Vienna states that Dr. Schuschnigg declared the agreement ensured European peace, adding: "Fate binds both the German peoples together. Everyone, no matter what his former attitude, will welcome co-opera-tion in the Fatherland Front. I can confidently state that Austria's peaceful development will continue. "In spite of all that has happened the old Austro-German cultural relations are strong enough to enable us to come to a friendly agreement with Germany. I greet all Germans inside or outside our frontiers." The Chancellor said he had nothing to say which would alter the late Dr. Dollfuss' conception. Austrians, while they were German people, were not a German nation. The Government was determined to defend their independence by all possible means. "There can be no place in Austria for Nazi-ism or for other extremists sowing discord arid hate," said Dr. Schuschnigg. They will also be proceeded against relentlessly. "Austria an a member of the League will fulfil all her obligations." The first fruits of the agreement are believed to be seen in the appointment of Herr Edmund Horstenau and Herr Guido Schmidt as Ministers without portfolios. Herr Horstenau is director of the Austrian war archives and outspokenly pro-German. He is regarded as the confidential representative of the German Government in the Austrian Cabinet in pursuance of the agreement that the Ministry shall include a representative approved by Germany. Herr Schmidt also is a pro-German. Hitherto a high official in the Chancellery, he has now been promoted to the secretaryship of Foreign Affairs.