ITALIAN WELCOME

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19622, 4 May 1938, Page 5

ITALIAN WELCOME

VISIT BY HITLER FLOWERS AND BUNTING NATION TAKES HOLIDAY BERLIN PRESS CHORUS "TWO GREATEST MEN" (Klec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. May 4, 10 a.m.) LONDON, May 3.

A message from Rome states that Herr Hitler's train crossed the Italian frorftier and arrived at the Brenner station which was decorated with flowers and hung with flags. The Duke of Pistoia, representing the King, Victor Emmanuel of Italy, and General Starace, welcomed the Fuhrcr, while carabinieri presented arms and bands played the German anthem.

Herr Hi tier's train slowed down When passing through, the two stations at Florence and the Fuehrer, standing at a window, acknowledged the cheers of Germans and Fascists. Fighting planes from Bologna escorted the train to Rome.

A national holiday was declared throughout Italy in honour of HenHitler's arrival.

Although the newspapers of Rome publish columns concerning Herr Hitler's visit, they give prominence to the speech made concerning the Anglo-Italian agreement by the Prime Minister, \Mr. Neville Chamberlain, in the House of Commons yesterday, and eulogise the happier Anglo-Italian atmosphere.

Berlin messages state that the German newspapers unanimously acclaim the "meeting of the two greatest men of the century" and remind Signor Mussolini of his previous declarations of the solidarity of the Berlin-Rome axis, while the so-called peaceful atmosphere of the axis talks is contrasted with the alleged warlike spirit of the British and French discussions.

DANGER SIGNALS DICTATORS'. SUCCESSES WARNING BY MR. EDEN LONDON, April 26. Faith in democracy, coupled with a warning, was the keynote of a speech made by the former Foreign Secretary, Mr. Anthony Eden, at a St. George's Day dinner. Mr. Eden, while reiterating his faith in democracy, declared that it would be fatal to its survival to ignore the stupenduous achievements of the dictatorships. Britain, he said, must make a comparable effort and arouse an equal spirit to enable democratic ideals to prevail. Such an effort would entail general and individual sacrifices, the abandonment of party warfare for its own sake and a united endeavour for spiritual and material rearmament. England. Mr., Eden went on, must bequeath tb posterity the art of free government by a free people. "The care-free days after the war, when we thought we could rest on our laurels and return to the old secure ways of life, are gone for this generation," he said. "The danger signals are up. Britain cannot stand still. "We must make every possible contribution to the future of mankind and ensure an acknowledgment of international law."

BULLET-PROOF TRAIN UNBREAKABLE WINDOWS TALKS WITH 1L DUCE BERLIN, April 27. A special bullet-proof and bombproof train will take Herr Hitler to Rome on May 2. Concealed armour-plates have been built into the carriages, and unbreakable glass has been fitted in the windows.

A hundred German pressmen, who will accompany Herr Hitler to Rome, will wear special uniforms of slateblue jackets, breeches, and topboots. The jackets will be initialled "R.K.K.," representing the Reich Chamber of Culture.

Political commentators say that it is unlikely that Herr Hitler and Signor Mussolini will quarrel about the future status of Italian South Tyrol, formerly the Austrian Tyrol, where the majority of the inhabitants are German.

Herr Hitler, it is believed, will be content to forget this problem for the moment, but is likely to press lor special port and shipping facilities and Customs privileges for Greater Germany at Trieste, an Italian port of the Adriatic, which was formerly the chief seaport of Austria.