Rome, Nov. 3.
The speech, in the House of Commons yesterday, by Mr. Neville Chamberlain, the Prime Minister, is welcomed here as a fresh proof of his realism in tackling world prob-
The issue before the House, Mr. Chamberlain continued, was not the Agreement itself, which had already been approved by a large majority, but whether the preliminary condition, which he had laid down as an essential before it could come into force, had now been fulfilled.
In making this condition, he had stated the view that the British Government's recognition of Italian sover-eighty in Ethiopia would be morally justified, if the Government could feel that it would constitute an important step towards general appeasement in Europe.
The Government, however, must be able to consider that the Spanish question had been settled. lems.
Unofficial Italian circles are in full agreement with Mr. Chamberlain's insistence on the necessity of bringing the Anglo-Italian Agreement into force without further delay, if improvement in relations between the two countries is to be maintained.
The Italian public, in general, feel that it is high time to open a new era of friendship and confidence between Great Britain and Italy, and to wipe the slate clean of old scores.
There is gratification here that Mr. Chamberlain appears to realize that Italy has fulfilled her part of the bargain, Italy claims to have respected the clauses of the Agreement even though it is not yet in force, and to have capped it by a substantial withdrawal of volunteers. In return, Italy considers herself entitled to the recognition of Abyssinia, which would be regarded as only a tardy act of justice.
Italy does not intend to let the Anglo-Italian Agreement weaken the Berlin-Rome axis, but rather to make it a step towards bringing the four Great Powers closer together.—
Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.