FRENCH SPEECH PRAISED

Southland Times, Issue 23782, 1 April 1939, Page 7

FRENCH SPEECH PRAISED

POSSIBLE CLAIMS BY ITALY CHEAPER SUEZ CANAL TOLLS (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) LONDON, March 30. The British Press praises the speech of the French Prime Minister (M. Edouard Daladier). The Times says that it left the door open. The onus for proposing a basis of discussion rests on Italy, but a basis should not be difficult to find. It suggests that Italy’s claims are likely to include a free zone round Jibuti, a share in the management of Addis Ababa-Jibuti railway, cheaper Suez Canal tolls and seats on the Suez Canal Board. ! A message from Cosenza (South Italy) says that Signor Mussolini, during a speech on his southern tour, said: “Pacts or no pacts, we will never resign ourselves to remaining prisoners in the Mediterranean. Italy is ready to stand up for her claims. Speeches are mere words unless they are accompanied by deeds.” Signor Virginio Gayda, always represented as Signor Mussolini’s spokesman, admits that the Italian Note of December 17 did not contain proposals or conditions, but reasons and themes for discussion. “France wants to maintain an adamant ‘never,’ ” he declares. “M. Daladier has demonstrated his desire to shut the half-open door. We take note of this attitude. Italy is not impatient. In the meantime the breach mentioned by Signor Mussolini remains unbridged. Signor Mussolini, in a second speech during his tour of Catanzaro, referred to the “Italian victory in Spain.” He said: “We shall forge ahead, despite obstacles. We are not afraid of what the future holds.” His speech at Reggio at 9.15 a.m., G.M.T., on March 31 is being broadcast. Well-informed circles believe that he is answering M. Daladier. PLEA FOR ECONOMIC BALANCE GOVERNOR OF BANK OF ITALY ROME, March 31. Complaining that no progress was being made towards a better distribution of raw materials Dr Vincenzo Azzolini, Governor of the Bank of Italy, said that if no solution was found soon, it would be the producing countries controlling the world stocks which would suffer most, because they would lose important markets for their products. A balance must be created, as suggested at Munich, between the nations, based on mutual recognition of their importance. If some countries continued to have an exuberance of the means of existence, while others were denied them, the latter were bound to grow poorer and be ultimately faced with the alternatives of mass emigration, political servitude or death by economic paralysis. He admitted that the State had drawn heavily on the national savings in order to balance the Budget, but claimed that the national resources were sufficient to finance schemes for economic independence in the immediate future.

M. LEBRUN ASKED TO CONTINUE ELECTION FOR PRESIDENCY » OF FRANCE PARIS, March 30. An all-party effort is being made to induce M. Albert Lebrun to accept the Presidency of France for a further seven years. The election will be held on April 5. k Dr Edouard Herriot, president of the Chamber of Deputies, is himself refusing to stand and tonight accompanied the President of the Senate to urge M. Lebrun to stand again. M. Lebrun will probably make a definite reply in his speech at Montelemar on April 2.