PEACE OF THE WORLD

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume XXIV, 31 December 1926, Page 6

PEACE OF THE WORLD

(Per Press Association—Copyright.) ROME, Dec. 29. Signor Mussolini and the German Ambassador signed an Italo-German Arbitration Treaty. It does not contain secret clauses. ’ LONDON, Dec. 30. Chief interest in foreign affairs centres around the Italo-German agreement. There is widespread speculation as to the effect of the agreement. Certainly there is no attempt on Italy’s part to minimise the importance of the event. Signor Mussolini and the German Ambassador were filmed in the act of signing in Chigi Palace. The agreement will be registered with the League of Nations. It extends over ten years. It provides for a permanent commission of arbitration. numbering five, of whom Italy names one, and Germany another, the remainder being named. conjointly by Italy and Germany, among three neutral countries. Any dispute between the two countries can be submitted to a Commission, whose report thereon is not binding, but the signatories must accept or reject it within three months. In the case of rejection, the dispute will be referred to the Judicial Arbitration Court, or to the Hague Tribunal. The agreement also applies to cases in which a third power is involved, but does not apply whenever rights or obligations resulting from the Locarno Pact are affected. One report says that Tyrol is also excluded. LONDON, Dec. 30. Naval activity is noticeable in both Italy and France under the stimulus of Mussolinism. Since he took over the charge of the Ministry of Marine, there has been high pressure in the Italian naval shipyards. Signor Mussolini decreed for con centration upon light and fast ships, notably Washington cruisers and torpedo boats, also a large fleet of submarines of a vastly improved type. Another dream of the Duee is to see Italy’s flag supreme in the Mediterranean. Every yard is occupied to the fullest extent, including the construction of a number of motor ships and huge liners. x PARIS, December 29. The Government has ordered the speeding up of the new cruiserbuilding in Lorient shipyard, in order o facilitate the earliest possible .construction of a mine-layer and two destroyers and two submarines, which arq within the Washington quota. BERLIN, Dec. 29. Coincidently with the signature of the Italian Treaty, several newspapers make a bitter attack on Signor Mussolini. The “Vossische Zeitung” accuses Signor Mussolini of playing France against Germany, and vice versa, offering each a treaty against the other. “Vorwaerts” declared the treaty as especially necessary, owing to Italy’s belligerent tendencies, but political co-operation is "only possible when Italy returns to a civilised regime. Every document signed by Signor Mussolini savours of blood, force and barbarism.”