HITLER ARRIVES IN ITALY

Southland Times, Issue 23499, 4 May 1938, Page 5

HITLER ARRIVES IN ITALY

Official Reception At Frontier HOLIDAY THROUGHOUT COUNTRY ELABORATE PREPARATIONS IN ROME (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) (Received May 3, 11.45 p.m.) ROME, May 3. The train bearing Herr Hitler on his visit to Rome crossed the frontier and arrived at Brenner station, which was decorated with flowers and hung with flags. The Duke of Pistoia, representing King Victor Emmanuel and the Secretary-General of the Fascist Party (Lieutenant-General Achille Starace), welcomed the Fuhre-r, while carabinieri presented arms and bands played the German Anthem. A national holiday was declared throughout Italy in honour of Heit Hitler’s arrival. Although newspapers publish col-

umns about Herr Hitler’s visit, they give great prominence to the speech of the British Prime Minister (Mr Neville Chamberlain) and eulogize the happier Anglo-Italian atmosphere. The Rome correspondent of The Times says that the city is preparing for a hectic week and Herr Hitler’s visit is likely to become legendary, states a message from London. Never since the “Field of the Cloth of Gold” has one ruler made more elaborate and more extravagant efforts to impress another. The estimated cost is between £3,000,000 and £4,000,000. . Almost the entire fleet of 200 vessels, including 90 submarines, has been assembled for a display at Naples and there will be equally impressive air forte and army concentrations.

The newspapers unanimously acclaim the “meeting of the two greatest men of the centuiy”,and remind Signor Mussolini of his previous declarations on the solidarity of the Ber-lin-Rome axis, states a message from Berlin. The so-called peaceful atmosphere of the axis talks is contrasted with the alleged warlike spirit of the British and French discussions. Thousands uproariously bade farewell to Herr Hitler. All work ceased early, employees marching in bodies to line the streets. The Anhalt station was a forest of Italian and German flags. , The President of the Reichstag (Field-Marshal Hermann Goering), in his speech, said that the visit was of the greatest importance to the peace of the world because two of the greatest men of the century were meeting in Rome. ~ Herr Hitler talked animatedly on the platform with Field-Marshal Goei - - ing, who is temporarily head of the State. Herr Hitler was obviously in the best humour.