HOSTILE FEELING

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19803, 3 December 1938, Page 5

HOSTILE FEELING

ITALIANS AND GERMANS

ANGLO-FRENCH ACCORD ROM A N DEM ONSTRATION ANCIENT WRONGS CITED (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reccl Dec. 3, 11 a.m.) ROME, Dec. 1. A message from Rome stales that during a speech in the Chamber of Deputies, the Italian Foreign Minister, Count Ciano, declared the intention to safeguard the interests and aspirations of Italians. This brought a demonstration against the French and cries of “Tunisia.” The demonstrations continued outside Parliament, the crowd shouting “II Duce! Tunis! Corsica!” The Italian journal, Tribuna, declares that the French occupation of Tunis in 1881, was a grave insult, and will always be remembered ■by Italians. It adds that in order to be friends with Italy, it is necessary for France to repair the “insults.” Frontier Rectifications Count Ciano’s confidant, Signor Ansaldo, writing in an Italian journal, uses phrases generally interpreted to refer to the Suez Canal, Tunis and Djibuti. He refers to the new spirit of Munich repairing ancient wrongs and asks why frontier rectifications are necessary to give a better arrangement of Europe and the colonies cannot be arranged.

The Paris correspondent of The Times points out that the demonstration in Rome altered the opinion of France, not because the claims are taken seriously—although it is realised that Italian grievances in Tunisia must be considered —,but because of the conviction that Italy and Germany are engaged at present in a carefullyplanned attempt to weaken AngloFrench solidarity, evidence of which is seen in the further German attacks on Britain when the German Foreign Minister, Herr von Ribbentrop, is preparing to go to France and the new Italian outburst against France when Mr. Neville Chamberlain is preparing to go to Rome. Reaction in Paris The French press continues angrily to oppose the Italian aspirations in Tunis, and Corsica, and unanimously demands an emphatic declaration from the Government in view of the pending signing of the Franco-Ger-man pact and the realignment by the four Powers of the'policy of appeasement evoking the widest speculation, though so far there has been an absence of French official comment. The Paris correspondent of the Daily Telegraph says that probably France will express to London her apprehension that the impending visit to Rome by Mr. Neville Chamberlain may prove a disservice to FrancoItalian relations ■ and also cause a damaging interpretation on FrancoBritish solidarity in the Mediterranean.

The correspondent adds that a stiffening of the French attitude toward Spanish affairs 'is anticipated.