SOLDIERS EMBARK

Taranaki Daily News, 22 February 1935, Page 5

SOLDIERS EMBARK

HITCH IN

ITALY AND ABYSSINIANS

EMPEROR SHOWS DISDAIN

PREPARATIONS CONTINUE By Telegraph— Press Assn.—Copyright Rec. 10 p.m. Rome, Feb. 20. . An additional 750 soldiers, who are specialists in road building and electrical work, have embarked from Italy for East Africa. It is authoritatively learned that Sig- ■ _ nor Mussolini has decided to reinforce ' ' the troops in Africa and take precautionary measures, He has requisitioned two 24,000 ton ships to transport 15,000 regular fighting troops. The embarkation will begin this week. The plans for the dispatch of troops coincide with statements of a .hitch in negotiations and Ras Tafani’s apparent disdain of Italy’s previous preparations. The committee of defence has issued a communique dealing with Italy’s preparedness for war and her plans for further preparation, It states that the committee has taken all the peace time precautions possible to ensure victory in war time. “Italy can be more self-supporting than previously,” it adds. “Italy has sufficient food,, can develop her iron and lead resources and will develop- her hydraulic power,” The newspaper II Popolo d'ltalia, under the heading “New Italy,” publishes a leading article attributed to Bigner Mussolini, which says: “The oleographies of old Italy must be abandoned, particularly abroad. “Rifles, machine-guns and cannons must supersede musical instruments,” the article adds. “The new style may surprise the old journalism, but it is time to recognise the martial face of the new Italy. International public opinion is at least a generation behind in judging things and new tests are necessary in order to correct old opinions. Now the military machine is moving the new Italy answers with a firm decision and a heroic sentiment of duty." MORE HOPEFUL VIEWS NEUTRAL ZONE PRINCIPLE British Wireless. Rugby, Feb. 20. News reaching London has caused more hopeful views to be taken of, the situation between Italy and Abyssinia. The suggestion that a neutral zone should be created between Abyssinian and Italian regions would seem to have been accepted by both parties in principle. It is a suggestion that has received every possible encouragement from the French and British representatives at Addis Ababa, Other difficulties remain to be solved, but they are not considered insurmountable.