WITH THE ALLIES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24325, 15 June 1940, Page 10

WITH THE ALLIES

JUGOSLAVS IN DOMINION HATRED OF ITALIANS SPOKESMAN’S CONTENTIONS (Special to Daily Times/ WELLINGTON. June 14. “The Jugoslavian members ,of the community, who are wholeheartedly in sympathy with the Allied cause and who have given generously dnd will continue to give generously to patriotic funds, are" suffering because many outspoken members of the public have mistaken them for Italians. Not only are the Jugoslavians behind the Allied cause, but they , despise the Italians for their treatment of their nationals,” said Mr Tony Marinovic. president of the Jugoslavian Club to-day Mr Marinovic recalled how the peoples who comprised modern Jugoslavia had been subjected to the assaults and wars of the Roman Empire and to the bad treatment by medieval. Italian States particularly the Venetian Republic. He then referred to the treatment of people of Jugoslavian stock in the territories handed over to Italv under the Treaty of Versailles. , “ Since Mussolini attained power in Italy their plight has been so terrible that the hatred between ,the race's, if it were dormant has been kindled to such an extent in the last 20 years +hat I don’t suppose there,! are an.v people in the world who hate anyone mdre d than we. do the Italians.”-Mr Marißovic said. ‘‘When people come along and accuse us of being Italians, it is like rubbing salt in our wounds.” Mr Marinovic stressed the fact tnat although many people were unjustly confusing them with Italians, the hones and sympathies of the local Jugoslavians were wholeheartedly with tho Allies. ~