ITALY LEAVES LEAGUE

Southland Times, Issue 23381, 13 December 1937, Page 5

ITALY LEAVES LEAGUE

ENTHUSIASM IN ROME

DECISION ANNOUNCED BY MUSSOLINI

WITHDRAWAL EXPLAINED AS END OF PATIENCE

(United Press Assn. —Telegraph Copyright)

(Received Dec. 12, 7.50 p.m.) LONDON, December 12. Italy withdrew from the League of Nations yesterday. Signor Mussolini’s much-her-alded statement to the Fascist Grand Council despite many conjectures proved to be only an explanation of Italy’s, withdrawal, which, the Secretary-General of the Fascist Party (LieutenantGeneral Achille Starace) first announced. The stage had been set with fascist thoroughness for the notable event Despite pelting rain thousands of parents and widows bereaved in the Great War and the Abyssinian and Spanish campaigns thronged the floodlighted streets Giant blue and white searchlights lighted up the entire length

of Empire Way, in which five battalions of steel-helmeted Black Shirts who are shortly going to East Africa were massed in the middle, flanked by battalions of young Fascists. University students filled the square before the Palazzo Zelezia. Thousands of civilians under umbrellas passed the time singing fascist songs and arguing volubly. Lieutenant-General Starace appeared on the balcony at 10 p.m. and shouted: “Black Shirts! It is a solemn moment. The Grand Council is deliberating.” The meeting lasted three minutes, after which Lieutenant-General Starace announced that Italy was leaving the. League, but the decision was not heard as Lieutenant-General Starace disturbed the wires with his foot when he was approaching the microphone. “DUCE! DUCE!” Signor Mussolini Immediately strode from the windows. He was received with tumultuous shouts of “Duce! Duce!” while all the syrens in Rome tooted a salute. Signor Mussolini held up his hand for silence, completely ignoring the rain. His first words were not heard, as the wireless was not functioning, Il Duce’s voice coming as a series of croaks. Engineers speedily restored communication. “The historic decision which the Grand Council has acclaimed and you have enthusiastically received could no longer be delayed,” said Signor Mussolini. “We for many years have offered the world the spectacle of unexampled patience. We have not forgotten, and shall not forget, the shameful .attempt at strangulation of the Italian people perpetrated at Geneva. The League has not made the reparation which is due, and the good intentions of certain governments have been drowned immediately they made contact with the fatal surroundings of Geneva’s sanhedrin, which is manipulated by dark hidden forces—the enemies of Italy and our revolution. “Consequently our presence at the door of Geneva is no longer tolerable; it wounded our doctrine, our style and our temperament as soldiers. We had to choose. Were we to stay in? (shouts of ‘No!’). Or were we to get out? (shouts of ‘Yes!’). “That is why we shout: ‘lt is enough!’ and leave without regret the tottering temple in which men do not work towards peace but prepare for war. PRESSURE DENIED “It is grotesque to believe that pressure was exerted on us to decide by our comrades of the Berlin-Tokyo axis, who have shown absolute discretion.” Signor Mussolini added .hat Italy’s withdrawal from the League was an event of great historical importance, which had drawn the attention of the world; its consequences could not be foreseen, but ‘‘we will not abandon our fundamental policy of aiming at collaboration for peace, of which we have furnished a luminous example in the past few days by consecrating peace in the Adriatic.”

“The threatenirig voices which are raised from time to time and perhaps will be raised again from flocks of great democracies leave us perfectly indifferent,” said II Duce. “They can do nothing against a people like the Italians, which is capable of any sacrifice. We have arms in the sky, on the land and on the sea. We are both numerous and tempered by two victorious wars. Above all, we have the heroic spirit of our revolution, which no human force in the world will ever be able to bend.”

The cheering lasted five minutes. The crowd dispersed singing army songs. The Italian Foreign Minister (Count Galeazzo Ciano) sent a telegram to Geneva: “Italy leaves the League as from December 11.” FRIENDLY YUGOSLAV DECLARATION “NO LONGER DISAGREEMENT WITH ITALY” (Received December 12, 6.30 p.m.) MILAN, December I}. The Prime Minister of Yugoslavia (Dr Milan Stoyadinovitch), who has been visiting Signor Mussolini, issued

a statement through the newspaper Popolo d’ltalia, of which II Duce is proprietor. The statement is to “let the world know it cannot longer count on disagreement between Italy and Yugoslavia, who have begun to write a new page in their relationships.” BRITISH POLICY NOT AFFECTED ITALY’S MOVE EXPECTED (Received December 12, 7.30 p.m.) LONDON, December 12. Well-informed British circles are not unduly preoccupied with Signor Mussolini’s speech,, as his intention to leave the League has been expected. . His decision is merely de jure recognition of a de facto situation. It is believed H Duce’s decision is the result of domestic considerations in order to distract attention from internal difficulties. It will not affect British policy. The Rome correspondent of The Daily Telegraph said on Friday that Signor Mussolini’s reported intention to leave the League had caused a deep impression.

The Italian Ambassador to London (Count Dino Grandi) went to Italy to attend the Fascist Grand Council.