THREAT TO LEAVE LEAGUE

Waikato Times, Volume 118, Issue 19664, 26 August 1935, Page 7

THREAT TO LEAVE LEAGUE

IF SANCTIONS ARE' APPLIED. SIGNOR MUSSOLINI SPEAKS VERY PLAINLY “LEAVE US TO FULFIL OUR MISSION.” (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright.) (Received Aug. 26, 11.45 a.m.) LONDON, Aug. 25. Interviewed by Mr Ward Price, the Daily Mail’s correspondent, Signor Mussolini declared: — “If the Geneva sanctions are applied against Italy, she will immediately leave the League of Nations. Whoever applies sanctions against Italy will meet her armed hostility. If the League is so reckless as to expand colonial campaigns into a European war, costing tens of millions of lives, the guilt will rest on the League. “Nevertheless 1 am sending a delegation to the Council meeting on September 4 in order to place Italy’s case before the world, supported by documents and photographs. I shall challenge the League to treat Italy on the same footing as Abyssinia after it has considered the evidence. “European nations desiring peace should imitate the United States and leave us to fulfil our mission. Pacifists are the worst foes of peace, because they want to spread throughout the world a conflict which has the character of a colonial expedition, to create order where order has' never existed. “We shall do nothing to set Europe by the ears, but the others must have the same sense of responsibility. Italy has given too many proofs of her desire to co-operate for her to he accused of setting a match to a powder train. “She always has stood by the British Empire, not only in the Great War, hut at other times when the world was aligned against her. “My attitude will not change, unless Abyssinia gives in.” “The wounds of Adowa must be healed once and for all,” continued Signor Mussolini. “-The financial condition of Italy does not arouse uneasiness. Our people will face any further sacrifices entailed. “Can you wonder that Italy resents the attempt to sacrifice her to restore the prestige of the League, which failed to prevent the Japanese occupation of Manchukuo or the Gran Chaco war between two of its members? “We cannot draw hack now. Two hundred thousand Italian rifles in East Africa would go off of themselves. The Italian administration can do for Abyssinia what the British have done for India.”

RESIST WITH FORCE. WARNING TO OTHER POWERS. POSITION OF SUEZ CANAL. CLOSING WOULD MEAN A BREACH. United Press Assn.—Eire. Tel. Copyright (Received Aug. 26. 12.30 p.m.) LONDON, Aug. 25. Signor Mussolini said there are possible degrees of sanctions —namely, moral, economic, military. A moral sanction might take the form of a vote of censure, upon which Italy would leave the League of Nations and maintain her course. If Lire sanctions included a blockade of Italian ports and the closing of the Suez Canal, Signor Mussolini declares that Italy would resist with all her force by land, sea and air, regarding the closing of the canal as a breach of the Versailles Treaty, in which the canal statute prohibiting a blockade is incorporated, but the application of the sanctions necessitates a unanimous

vote not only of Hie Council but of the Assembly, which would require France’s support. Signor Mussolini asserted that the Franoo-llalian agreement of January 7 settled ail outstanding disputes with France over Tunis and elsewhere, in exchange for the French pledge to leave his hands free in East Alrica. Signor Mussolini continued: "It will take the Italian people 50 years to colonise and civilise Abyssinia, in this they will be associates, not antagonists, of the British Empire, which is already associated with our special rights by treaties." Ho pointed on I that some Abyssinian arms originated in Italy. They included Mausers and machine-guns, ami one million rounds which lie gave lo Abyssinia in J i>2S, disproving any hostile i n I on I ions lo her. jhily had \ i. 000.000 people living in territory whose national ulilily was one-fifth of I ha I of France. Only <* small pari of Libya was ulilisable. Abyssinia, on Hie ronlrnry, was lliricc Hie size of Italy, and contained great tracts of suitable selHement. . I’enetrnlion will open up vnsl new markets ami develop uncxp’oiled riches. RISING IN MOROCCO. FEARED BY SPAIN. Pulton l’cess Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright. LONDON, Aug. 2 1. A message from Gihrallar says Spain fears a rising of .Moroccan tribesmen if Ethiopia is attacked. The War Office is creating large dumps of war material in readiness for trouble.

_ MEANS BUSINESS. . WILL BROOK NO INTERFERENCE. LONDON PAPER’S OPINION. ADVISES BRITAIN TO KEEP OUT. United Press Assn. —F.lec. Tel. Copyright (Received Aug. 26, i p.m.) LONDON, Aug. 25. The Daily Mail, in a leader citing Mr Ward Price’s interview, declares: “Italy means business and will brook no interference in a campaign which does not concern Britain." It discounts further talk of sanctions, which, apart from provoking war, would close Britain's best coal markets. It adds: “The Jingoes’ insane demands for strong action should be firmly resisted." HEALTH CONSULTANT. EXPERT IN TROPICAL DISEASES. APPOINTMENT IN EAST AFRICA. United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright ROME, Aug. 24. Signor Mussolini has appointed Sir Aldo Caslellani, an expert in tropical diseases, as health consultant in East Africa. Sir Aldo Castelianl •is one of the few foreigners who has received a British knighthood. Taking I.is doctor’s degree in 1809 with the highest honours, he specialised in skin diseases, lie also took up the study of tropical diseases and, going to England, was made a member of the Foreign Office and Royal Society Commission on Sleeping Sickness which visited Uganda in 1902-3. Sir Aldo afterwards made highly important discoveries regarding the causes of sleeping sickness and other tropical maladies. During the war he served as a lieutenant-colonel of the Italian Medical Service in the Balkans and was a member of the Inter-Allied Sanitary Commission, receiving the Distinguished Service Cross. In 1928 Sir Aldo received the honorary knighthood of K.C.M.G. (honorary because he was not a British subject). DEPARTURE OF TROOPS. MUSSOLINI’S SONS LEAVE. United Press Assn.—Eire. Tel. Copyright. NAPLES, Aug. 24. Two divisions, comprising 45 0 0 troops, who included Signor 'Mussolini’s two sons and his son-in-law, Conte Galazzo di Ciano, left Naples today on the. Salurnia, a vessel built to hold 1500 people. Signor Mussolini bade farewell to his sons and son-in-law. FOREIGN AIRCRAFT. NEW ItEGULATIi >XS ANNOUNCED. (Times Cable.' London, Aug. 24. The Rome correspondent of the Times says il is announced Ili.il foreign aircraft entering or leaving Italy henrcforlh must cross laud Ironliers or the coast only ai specified points. They must then follow the shortest route In Die aerudrumc fur which they are bound.