“TO THE LAST MAN.”

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13173, 4 February 1936, Page 6

“TO THE LAST MAN.”

ITALIAN CONSUL ARRIVES.

LEAGU K A( TJOX CRITICTSED

Electric Telegraph—Press Association WELLINGTON. This Day.

A passionate defence of Italy’s campaign in Abyssinia and an equally .strong condemnation of the application of sanctions against his country were made l>y tin* new Con-sul-General lor Italy in New Zealand, Dr. Mario Dessoriles, when lie arrived at Wellington iit the Monowai yesterday. The sanctions, he said in an. interview. had almost completely blocked Italy’s external trade, and were having the effect of transforming the country’s economy into a strictly internal’ economy. His country wanted to be independent, but it wa s now suffering the greatest injustice evef done to it, an injustice which Italy’ had to bear even though in the pastsanctions had not. been applied to other countries when they should have been.

“How can we judge what sort of punishment should be. inflicted on outcountry.” asked Dr. Pessaules,

“when we cannot apply the same punishment to other countries:' What would be the use of applying

sanctions to Great Britain? It wc-uid be absolutely’ impossible. Italy is not a rich country and must suffer, but we have decided to suffer it to the last moment and to- fight to the last man. If we are attacked, as it seems that .someone is disposed to attack us. we are ready to resist by every means what is considered a real aggression to Italy. We feel we are suffering a real aggression. “Italy, with its 44,000.000 people, is just like one man behind the King and Mussolini. In Italy there is a general fed in g that a great injury has been done to us. and we are just calm and quiet and decided to do on TAKING REPRISALS. “If sanctions are t.c continue and are extended to v»il and similar materials it will not bo any economic measure : it will be a warlike measto which we will react accordingly? because we feel we arc not the aggressors. They say that we are at Geneva, but we are suffering aggression. We are taking reprisal for the 92 acts of aggression by Abyssinia since 1928. The last happened in December. 1984. That was enough. We are going to put a stop to it “Geneva said we are the aggressors, but wo had to fight. We want Abyssinia not to be a danger to our colonies any more. The campaign is a punitive expedition against the real Abyssinian and not to other parts of Abvssinia. ’ ■

Dr. Dessanies said that every mail in Italy seemed to have the desire to get to Abyssinia, and many recruiting officers were unabb to handle the constant stream of applications. The enthusiasm in the coum try was beyond conception. Mussolini was responsible ; his personality. h!s political capacity, his oratory and his driving force had raised the country to its present enthusiasm. Italy’ intended to transform Abyssinia into a civilised country, which was very far from what it was at present. Many tr.bes were anxious for Italian rule.

“Geneva is leading Europe not into peace, but into war,” said the Consul in conclusion, “and Italy is being used as an excuse.”