Speeches; Sees Contrast In Encirclement Rome, June 12.
While expressing appreciation -of last week's statements by Mr. Neville Chamberlain, British Prime Minister, and Lord Halifax, British Foreign Secretary, the newspapers here declare that proof of Great Britain's goodwill is awaited.
"The new words uttered by the British Ministers leave us perplexed," declares Signor Virginia Gayda, considered to be the mouthpiece of Signor Mussolini, in an article in "Voce d'Italia."
"They sound promising" he adds, "but facts and developments seem to contradict the spirit of their words."
The "Telegrapho," organ of Count Ciano, Italian Foreign Minister, writes: "We believe the perfect sincerity and good intentions of Mr. Chamberlain and Lord Halifax, but if they really want to arrive at a round-table conference they must say, 'I am ready to discuss, without adding anything else."
In pronouncements last week, both Mr. Chamberlain and Lord Halifax said Great Britain was still ready to discuss at a taund table conference the claims of Germany, or of any other centry, provided there seemed a reasonable prospect of a real Economic War Rome, June 11.
A marked contrast Between the words and deeds of British states-fen is observed by Signor Virginia Gayda in an article published today in the "Giornale d'Italia" which deals With the latest declarauons of policy fnadé by Mr. Neville Chamberlain and Lord Halifax.
Lord Halifax's statement that France and Britain have no aggressive designs, but are animated by a spirit of peaceful ce-operation, ca be easily disposed of by reference to the actions of those two countries, the writer declares, Signor Gayda then refers to the economic war which he claims the western democracies are waging against Germany and Italy and to the pronouncedly anti-Italian policy of the French government, recalling in this latter connection the systematic persecution of Italian fascists in France and the anti-Italian measures of the French authorities in Tunisia, Offensive Encirclement Dealing with Mr. Chamberlain' assurance that Britain is willing to enter into negotiations, Signor Gayda declares that the western demo-crocies had time enough for negotiations with Italy and Germany between 1919 and 1939. Moreover, after the Munich agreement, which might have opened an era of frank discussion of outstanding problems and of genuine ce-operation between ihe great Powers, the western demo-erades suddenly reversed their policies and embarked on a programme of encirclement, The offend sive character of this encirclement policy cannot be denied, in spite of the peaceful assurances of Mr Chamberlain and Lord Halifax Signor Gayda asserts.
It is clear, he concludes, that some pretext could be found at any time for a camouflaged act of aggression against the Axis powers—this notwithstanding repeated statements that the guarantees and pacts of the "anti-aggression front" would become
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operative only in the event of an act of aggression by the Axis powers. Trans-Ocean.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.