Evening star., 1939-08-27
Mussolini Reported
Taking Active Part in
Last Peace Effort
Duce Depicted os Willing
To Negotiate, but Wants
His Claims Adjusted
BY the Associated Press.

His Claims Adjusted
BY the Associated Press.
ROME, Aug. 26.-Premier Musso-
lini is taking an active part in a
last attempt to save the peace Of
Europe" responsible Italian in
formant said tonight.
The Duce Of Fascism was repre-
sented as willing and perhaps eager
for negotiations which would avert
war, but along with this, Fascists
emphasized, must be considered
Italian claims upon France for a
greater share in African colonial
possessions.
Mussolini, nevertheless, continued
with steps of military preparedness.
He conferred with army, navy and
air chiefs, and there was conjecture
as to whether general mobilization
was discussed.
Diplomatic foreign circles believed
this step was being held up pending
outcome of diplomatic activity in
London, where Adolph Hitler's plan
for European settlement was under
discussion. Italy was believed in
foreign military circles to have
slightly less than 1000, 900 men now
in arms.
Hitler COnsults Duce by Phone.
Authoritative reports said Hitler
notified British, French, Italian and
japanese Ambassadors yesterday Of
his plan for settlement after con-
sulting with Mussolini by telephone.
The German Fuehrer sent a tele-
phone message to Mussolini by his
Ambassador in Rome, George Won
Mackensen; received an immediate
reply from II Duce, and sent a
further message to Rome, all within
six hours last night.
Mussolini had still another ex-
change of messages today with
Hitler.
Won Mackensen delivered a mes
sage to him after comforting with
Foreign Minister Count Galeazzo
Ciano. Subsequently Mussolini sent
reply to Hitler through the Ger
man Ambassador.
Hitler Seeks to Place Guilt,
Hope in the diplomatic activity
was tempered somewhat by the
frank Italian statement that Hitler
was seeking, by offering his way out
OF this crisis, to establish war guilt,
II there is war, by throwing the re-
sponsibility on others.
Virginio Gayda, editor who is close
to the government, said GERMANY
again had consented to specify it's
position through diplomatic chan
nels SO that in the supreme mo-
ment there would be no doubt and
confusion and each government
would assume its own responsible
ties before its people and before his
tory"
Gayda then reported the outline
OF significant European and ex-
tra-European movement to put Po-
land on the track of direct negotia-
tions with Germany"
The movement is promoted in
London, Paris, and even in WASH
ington," Gayda said, in an appar-
ent reference to the messages of
President Roosevelt.
Lansing Report Cited.
An idea prevalent In German cir.
cles that Hitler's plan was similar
to one attributed to Robert Lansing
American Secretary of State from
1915 to 1920, was supported by the
important paper II Lavoro Fascista.
The Hitler proposal" the paper
said, would refer to the report of
the American representative OMr.
Lansing) at the peace conference
tof Paris. who proposed assigning
Danzig and the corridor to Germany
The source, therefore, from which
the Fuehrer would seem to take
his inspiration should not be sus-
pected by the democracies, which
affirmed their wish to die in defense
of right, liberty and justice. Above
all it should not be suspected by
President Roosevelt. who continues
to spread about his peace messages. "
Under such plan, Germans in
Rome said, both Danzig and the
present Polish Corridor would re-
turn to Germany, but Hitler prob
ably would grant Poland a more
narrow corridor or other means of
communication to the now Polish
port Of Gdynia.
Vatican Hopeful.
Hope of a peaceable settlement
was expressed at the Vatican on the
basis of diplomats activity which
extended to the office Of the papal
secretary of state. The Italian,
Polish and Spanish ambassadors
and a secretary of the British Lega-
ton to the Holy See called there,
while Pope Plus received Francois
Charles-Roux, the French Ambassa-
dor, at Castel Gandolfo, the pom
tiff's summer villa.
Italy continued calm. There were
more officers and conscripts at the
railroad stations. awaiting trains,
than usual, but the numbers were
not great.