Evening star., 1938-09-25
|TALYCONS|DERS
WAR INEVITABLE
MussoIini's Speeches Stir
Nation-Fascism Foes
Declared Stupid
~ the Associated Press.

~ the Associated Press.
ROME, Sept. 24.-Italians considered
war almost inevitable tonight after .
speech by Premier Benito Mussolini
disclosing that Reichsfuehrer Adolf
Hitler had given Czechoslovakia an
October l deadline for = reply to
German demands.
1talys most authoritative editor. Vir-
ginio Gayda, writing in II Giornale
d'1talia assumed Prague would reject
the German Fuehrer's demands and
added:
ut may therefore be considered that
events are moving toward an armed,
bloody conflict
Premier Mussolini, addressing 300,-
900 Fascist Blackshirts at Padua, in
Northeastern Italy's VeneAa Province,
said "if the conflict must nevertheless
break out there is possibility of local
izing it." but added that in event Of
an theological war against Nazism,
italy and Germany would form "a
single bloc"
Requests" Forwarded.
He said Germany has sent requests
to Prague and has given until October
for reply" He continued:
There are, therefore, exactly six
days for the Prague government to
resume again way of sanity, for it
would be truly absurd and even Grim
inal that Europe's millions should be
hurled against one another simply to
maintain the feudal lordship of (Presi-
dent Eduard) Benes over that land"
Then, after concluding his Padua
talk, II Duce went few miles north
to Belluno, where he reused an audi
enoe to fighting fever for war by
haunting Fascism's adversaries beyond
the Alps as being too stupid to be
dangerous
His epithet appeared to be aimed at
both the French and the British, for
he described 1taly's adversaries as
those still bound to outdated ideolo-
gies democratic principles.
Asks Proof Of Valor.
In both the Padua and Belluno
speeches II Duce appealed to massed
crowds OF Blackshirts and civilians for
evidence of their readiness for war.
The expected answers were shouted
back at him from well-disciplined
ranks.
Il know" he shouted at Padua.
that each Of you and all of you are
ready for any eventuality"
Yes" roared back the crowd.
Butter or cannons-which have
We chosen?" he asked at Belluno.
"Cannons," came the response.
The speech at Belluno, the second of
the day, was II Duce's sixth brief
speech within a week in support Of
German minority claims In Czechoslo-
vak1a. He was expected to speak again
tomorrow when he visits Vicenzia.
Speaks Again at Padua.
At Padua he said:
I'm the face of this fact (Czecho-
slovakia's general mobilization) which
Is added to the reign of terror which
the Czechs have conducted in the
Sudeten territory, Germany has given
evidence of supreme moderation. -.
1T would be a grave, very grave
error if this patient attitude of
Germany should be falsely inter-
preted.
There is time for solution,
and if the conflict must nevertheless
break out there is a possibility of To-
calizing it.
But it happens in these days that
more or less influential parties and
tendencies in Western countries con-
tend that this is the opportune mo-
ment to take stand and settle &C
counts with the totalitarian states.
In his case these parties and ten
denotes will find themselves con-
fronted not by two countries, but by
two countries which will form single
bloc. p" ="