SLAV MINISTER REPLIES

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19373, 23 December 1932, Page 9

SLAV MINISTER REPLIES

SIGNOR MUSSOLINI CRITICISED “ALLEGATION GROSSLY EXAGGERATED” United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright BELGRADE. December 21. Replying to Signor Mussolini’s Senate speech, M. Jevtitch (Minister of Foreign Affairs), said there had been a deliberate attempt, on slight pretexts, to arouse hatred against Jugo-Slavia throughout Italy. Jugo-Slavia would remain calm in face of provocations, but would not fold her arms and refuse to defend her most sacred rights. M. Jevtitch declares that the Italian allegations are grossly exaggerated. Ever a veritable powder magazine, the Balkans are again athirst for fight. War and rumours of wars were always present there until the Great War involved them in trouble of such magnitude as had never before Com 3 their way. With the readjustment of boundaries following the war, new States under new rulers were set up, not always with happy results, as must be expected where nationalism is strong and where people of different races are grouped together without consideration for natural national animosities. This has been the case in Jugo-Slavia, where internal feeling is strong against Italy, which is regarded as a possible invader.

The fear of invasion, which has been growing in the past year, was roused suddenly to a great pitch when on December 15 the following message was despatched from Rome:— “Signor Mussolini, addressing the Senate, referred to acts of barbarism in Jugo-Slavia. He said that an official protest had been forwarded to Belgrade against these demonstrations of unceasing hostility to Italy. Signor Mussolini added that certain 'Europeans,’ posing as pacifists, had invented the ridiculous story that Italy was preparing to attack Jugo-Slavia. Despite provocation Italy would not lose her head, but would watch events calmly. But, he cried, those who had destroyed the stone lions of Trau, could not destroy the history of those responsible. That belonged to the highest political circles.” Three days ago the following essage from London stated:— The Belgrade correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” says that Jugoslavia is preparing to defend her frontiers against Austria, Hungary, Italy and Albania by settling organised irregulars on the Jugo-Slavian side. Jugo-Slavia is convinced that Italy's toleration of violent anti-Slav demonstrations is part of a deliberate campaign. A French correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph" says that the Foreign Ministers of the Little Entente are now meeting at Belgrade to exchange views on the latest development of Italian policy. The correspondent states that Signor Mussolini met Senator Berengeur and other leading Frenchmen in November and insisted on the necessity of territorial changes in the map of Europe, more than enough to throw the Continent into war. It is reported that Signor Mussolini emphasised the point that Italy ought to be regarded as the successor to Aus-tria-Hungary, and gave expression to his ambitions regarding the Balkans comparable with the Pan-German scheme of pre-war days.