STRAIGHT TALKS TO ITALY

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20898, 30 November 1937, Page 9

STRAIGHT TALKS TO ITALY

FRENCH RESENTMENT OF CRITICISM EXCEEDS BOUNDS OF DECENCY AND REASON T United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph —Copyright (Received November 29, 8.35 p.m.) LONDON, November 29. The Paris correspondent of "The Times” says: “M. Leger, SecretaryGeneral for Foreign Affairs, received Signor Prunas, Italian Charge d’ Affaires, and discussed the outbursts concerning M. Campinchi. It is understood that M. Leger stated that the Government regarded the campaign of calumny as exceeding the bounds of decency and reason, particularly in view of the official denials that the speech was made. It is understood that the cause of the trouble was a semi-private remark that if Corsica were attacked, France would defend it. Despite a denial by the French Minister of Marine (M. Campinchi) that he ever said in the course of a speech at Toulon that a war between France and Italy was not only inevitable, but necessary, the Italian newspapers are aflame with demands for his resignation. M. Campinchi is reported to have stated that Corsica must no longer be subject to Italian aggression. A war against Italy which was inevitable and necessary, must end in a French victory. France was determined to defend Corsica against every aggression, and an offensive would be launched from there bringing Fascism to its knees.