Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-02-10
many's parliamentary foreign minis

manyS parliamentary foreign minis
ter showed moral and intellectual
superiority to the Fascist dictator.
Those who expected oratorical fire
works, violent outburst and patriotic
demonstrations during the Italo-Ger-
man debate in the Reichstag were dis
appointed, for Stresemann spoke mild
~ though firmly, and the members Of
the House, with the exception OF the
NatiOnalists and Communists. carried
themselves with reserve.
DIR. StreSemann, who is most effec-
tive when speaking extemporanoUsly,
read a carefully worded speech in a
voice that was heard with difficulty
The absence of most of the members
of the cabinet. including DIR. Luther,
the chancellor, from the ministerial
benches, seemed like pre-arrange-
ment, while there were many empty
seats in the body OF the house.
Nettled by Opposition.
Except for an occasional hear,
hear" when DR.. Stresen1ann cited the
South Tyrolean wrongs and decried
Mussolfni's belittling Of things Ger
man, he stirred his audience effective
~ only when he declared that the
Italian premier's threats were incom.
patible with the spirit Of the Lea que
of Nations. The Nationalist and
Communists at this point broke into
disdainful and ironical hilarity, which
nettled the foreign minister.
While scouting Mussolini's threats
and stigmatizing his speech as fit
for the vulgarity Of mass meetings,
filled with arrogance, contradictions
and immoderate language. DR.. Strese-
mann was careful to make ii plain
that Germany desires continuance of
friendly relations with Italy. lie as
serted that Germany accepts the Bren-
nero frontier as stipulated by the
peace treaty, and considered possible
revision of this as Austrias, not Ger
many's, problem. He also declared
that the German and Italian peoples
have no quarrel.
BY careful marshaling Of the
historical sequence of events since
the great war. the minister sought
to show that Mussolinis course was
at variance with his own previous
utterances, as well as the royal
promises to South Tyrol. Recogniz-
ing the futility Of any action, save a
protest, under Germany's present
weakened condition, DR.. Stresemann
laid emphasis on the hope for a
remedy once Germany is a, member
of the League OF Nations, to which
speeches such as the Italian premier's
can be automatically taken.
Admits False News.
The foreign minister admitted that
false items Of news concerning Tyrol
appeared in the German press, and
that private persons in Munich had
urged a boycott of Italian goods,
which had provoked Mussolini to
threaten retaliation, but, ne added:
II consider it an impossible action to
threaten a breach of an international
commercial agreement because Of an
unimportant movement by private
persons which has been positively dis
owned by the German government"
Observing that Germany's feeling
of sympathy toward Italy had
changed only when the news Of the
oppression OF the German Inhabitants
Of Tryol had been confirmed, ne said
"If Mussolini thinks this changed
attitude is due to orders from the
German government he forgets that
it is not possible arbitrarily to re-
strict the freedom Of the press in Ber-
lin. as in Rome. Neither do we intend
to forbid the German press from ex-
pressing its sympathy for land and
people which have been German for
centuries
The foreign minister reproved the
Bavarian premier. DR.. Held, whose
speech had provoked Mussolinis out
burst, and his accompanying declara
ton that the German foreign policy
was a matter solely for the Reich