By German Newspaper; "Corruption and Blackmail"
Berlin, Feb. 27.
Because he found it impossible to endure the strain of "the stifling atmosphere spreading throughout the United States," Signor Beniamino Gigli, famous Italian tenor, has given up all ideas of returning to that country.
According to the "I2-Uhr Platt," the singer made this statement in Rome upon his return in the liner Rex from a tour of the New World.
Explaining his decision, Signor Gigli is reported to have said that the true face of America had been revealed to him during his recent visit. A terrible state of mind, compounded of nervousness and cynicism. was sweeping aside all human values, he declared, Although personally he had no cause to complain of the reception accorded him, the singer declared, he found manifold signs of a general material and spiritual crisis on all sides. Corruption and blackmail polluted the atmosphere and made it "almost unbreathable."
General nervousness had given rise to a panicky struggle for a bare existence, he asserted, and the number of unemployed had grown to 12,000,000.
Continuing to give his impressions of America, the singer said that everywhere one encountered on the streets "appalling scenes caused by waste and starvation." Unrest of, ominous kind was being engendered Jewish-controlled—syhdicalist trade unions which were throwing American citizens, especially men of Trish descent, cut of jobs in order to make room for Jewish immigrants.
What he had seen, Signor Gigli said, led him to believe even in the possibility of an outbreak of civil war in America. Artistically, America was on the downgrade. This, he said, was noticeable in the case of the New York Metropolitan Opera Cpmpany, which, with depleted funds, was now engaging persons. well-known to the public but of doubtful artistic The Prime Minister's announcement was made in response to a formal question by Mr. C. R. Attlee, the Opposition leader, during the regular question period. The House and the galleries were crowded.
Diplomatic circles here believed the first British Ambassador to be sent to Burgos will begin immediately a strong effort to create closer relations between the new Spain and the demo-crocies, This end will be sought by means of a formal agreement covering outstanding political and economic questions. In this connection, Britain is relying om General Francisco Franco's expressed determination to take Spain independent "of any foreign influence or pressure.
It is estimated here that a maximum of 30,000 Italian troops are still in Spain, in addition to several thousand German military advisers and technicians—United Press.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.