NEW ZEAL

Taranaki Daily News, 23 December 1935, Page 7

NEW ZEAL

ITALIAN REPLY MEETING SANCTIONS INCREASED PRODUCTION BLAME CAST ON BRITAIN KILLING OF PEACE PLAN - By Telegraph—Press Assn. Copyright. Rec. 7 p.m. Rome, Dec. 21. The Fascist Grand Council met to-day and adjourned until January 18. A communique issued after the meeting stated: “The Council examined the political situation resulting from Britain’s repudiation of the Paris proposals, which the council examined at length on December 18. : The Council then approved the following motion by acclamation: The Council in face of the confusion and contradiction apparent in the attitude of the sanctionist countries affirms the unshakeable Resolution of the Italian people to defend their rights and declares that Fascist Italy will continue with inflexible determination to advance towards the attainment of the goal indicated by the Duce for the destiny of the country. “The Council also affirms after a montn of economic siege that the spirit, discipline and determination to resist organised masses are consolidated by the prolongation of the vain attempt, to suffocate them. Italian producers will now proceed to bring about an even greater self-sufficiency, freeing them from the forms of enslavement from abroad which are gravely prejudicial to the liber y an independence of the Italian people. They propose to intensify their activity, particularly regarding the disciplines of prices, in a manner which wiU J a P ld? Y strengthen the corporative State and maintain the country’s economic policy at this decisive moment." PEACE TERMS FAVOURED? It is unofficially declared that the Council’s communique, which avoided indicating either approval or disapproval of the Paris proposals, meant to convey firstly that the full share of responsibility was placed on Britain for the continuance of the struggle and se^ that Britain .had thrown over a proposal (the communique speaks of the Paris proposal as'being “due to French initiative.”) The fact that the Council on December 18 “fully examined the proposals is held to imply that it considered them favourably. In . other words the choice of peace or war is made to lie in Britain’s hands. If it is argued that the proposals are dead it is Britain who has killed them. Italy, it is added did not take the initiative in bringing them to life or making counter-proposab Despite everything that has superve d since the peace plan was transmitted to Signor Mussolini, the plan is still considered technically valid and matter for examination at to-mght s; an nossiblv future meetings of the Fascist Grand Council, says the Rome correspondent of the London Times Nevertheless the official spokesman_em nhasised that the realistic Fascist Gov ernment would take the London and Geneva situations into consideration i deciding whether the plan would form a basis for negotiations. These and otne considerations betray the SUS P ICIO J the prolonged Italian silence was a tact ical error. Good observers still believe Snor S°he may even adopt such a course sinia however, indicates that the diffi cultiU of the terrain are greater than anticipated, while despite Ita y s se denial foreign experts express> the.opinion that continued strict applications of the Embargoes will put'a protracted campaign beyond Italian resources.