Evening star., 1938-12-03
France Refuses
10 Give Up Tunisia,
Desired by Italy
C!uims Too Ridiculous
Envoy Is Reported to
Have Told ciuno
By the Associated Press.

b, the Associated Press.
ROME, Dec. 3.-1'he Fascist cam
pAign for French controlled terri
tory struck 4 stias today IN frances
flrm "NO."
The French Ambassador, Andre
Francois POncet, informed Italy
that France had no intention Of
budging from Tunisia-the center
OF Fascist aspiratiuns-or any other
French domains.
His formal notice was 4 protest
against = statement by the Authori-
tative Fascist editor, virgif1io Oayda,
that the italian nation was ready
to march, even against France, II
necessary"
The French Ambassador, In q
three quarter hour talk with For
eign Minister Count Galeasso Ciano
last night. WAS understood to have
said In more or less direct terms that
French withdrawal in the Czecho-
Slovak crisis last september was one
thing, but withdrawal from territory
ruled by France was an entirely Diff
ferent matter.
Claims Termed Ridiculous
He also was said to have informed
Ciano that in 50 far as the merits Of
Italian claims on Tunisia were con-
cerned, they were TOO ridiculous"
to be taken into consideration.
In addition, Francois Poncet was
understood to have expressed sur
prise over the Italian campaign
against France in view of mutual
expressions Of intentions to develop
the spirit OF neighborliness begun
at Munich.
Informed quarters said Italy con-
sidered the 1895 accord, signed with
former Premier Pierre Laval, null
lifted by French participation in
sanctions against Italy during the
Ethiopian war. Italy, however, did
not occupy the land in Jubsland
given het by that agreement.
France was said by these quarters
to be willing to make further con-
cessions to Italy, such as more ter
ritory in French SUmaliland, but
perhaps not including Djibouti. 1t
also was said an arrangement con-
corning the French-owned Adds
Ababa- -Djibouti Railway might be
made
Negotiations along these lines were
developing favorably last June, when
Italy suddenly broke them of.
Germany Is Blamed.
Diplomatic quarters said this
break was brought about by Ger
many, which did not want Italy to
become too friendly with France be-
fore Germany settled her score with
Czecho- Slovakia.
"A cry of sadness from Italians
in Tunisia that the French were
expressing them appeared on the
front page of the important Rome
newspaper II Messasgero.
1t was reminiscent of similar
charges against the Czecho- Slovak
government which came out of Su-
detenland before the Germans
gained their demands there.
The charges Of French oppression
were contained in 4 letter attrib-
uted to 4 group OF Sicilians whose
names were withheld to protect
them against persecution"
The letter said those who ran
afoul Of legal contusions" in Tunisia
found their troubles aggravated by
charges of being Italians"
ImpOverishment Charged.
1t further complained that Ital-
ians to whom Tunisia owes all'
had been despoiled by taxation. dis
criminated against in employment
and Impoverished" by French store
keepers and native merchants.
II new expressions are started
as result of the italian Parlia-
ment's demonstration last Wednes-
day. the letter said, the Italians in
Tunisia will never be French"
The sound Of Italian airplane mo-
tors, which daily salute the Italians
of Tunisia," the letter concluded,
was the sign of a power which by
right and arms will not fail the
great dream Of demands and JUS
tice."
II Messaggero also remarked that
French reaction to Jtaly's claim
naturally is entirely verbal except
for demonstrations staged at Rabat
Maroon and do Stio Corcico