Evening star., 1939-08-26
Rome
Continued From First Page. J

general staff of the army; Admiral
Dominica Cavagnari, undersecretary
of the navy; Gen. Giuseppe Vale,
undersecretary for air, and Gen.
Favagrossa attended the meeting.
Duce, Hitler Exchange Calls.
A double exchange of telephone
communication between Chancellor
Hitler and Premier Mussolini was
disclosed officially. German AM
bassador Hans-Georg Viktor Won
Mackensen delivered the first mes
sage, which he had received from
Hitler by telephone, at 3 pm. yes
terday. Count Ciano accompanied
him to Mussolini's office.
Mussolini replied Immediately. His
answer was delivered to Hitler at 6
o'clock last night by Bernardo Alto
lico, Italian Ambassador in Berlin.
Finally, at 9 o'clock last night. a
second telephone communication
from Hitler was delivered to Mus
solini by Won Mackensen.
Nothing was divulged as to what
words were exchanged between the
two partners in the Rome Berlin
military alliance. In foreign circles
it was believed Hitler must have ad-
vised Mussolini of his latest inten-
tions and Italys Duce replied with
his decision.
Whether Mussolini sought to
avert drastic German action today,
whether he signified Italy's readi-
ness for war or whether the two
allies discussed plans for a possible
settlement of the Danzig crisis by
negotiation could not be ascertained.
Hitler's Terms Reported.
Some diplomats speculated, en-
tirely without confirmation, that the
proposal which Hitler was reported
to have sent to Prime Minister
Chamberlain of Great Britain pro-
vided:
l. Return of Danzig to Germany.
2. A motor highway across Pom
orze tthe Polish CORRIDOR from Ger
many proper to East Prussia.
3. Creation of free port at Dan
zig for Polish traffic.
4. German guarantee of Poland's
frontiers, with 10-year non-ag-
gression pact.
5. Negotiations with Britain for
return of Germany's prewar colo
mics, with a 25-year non-aggression
pact between Britain and Germany.
Because of Tokio's chagrin over
the signing of the German Russian
non-aggression pact, Japanese
mission which had been expected
to talk over closer Japanese CO.
operation with the axis on it's visit
to Italy and Germany plans instead
to proceed to Switzerland to await
the outcome of events. The Japa-
nese are now en- route here.
Press Stresses Peace Hopes.
The Italian press kept Italian
hopes for peace alive, although the
nation had almost 100000 men
called to arms.
Articles in Rome's two morning
newspapers, which appeared to have
been officially inspired, said the in
tensive diplomatic activity justified
greater hope that peace could be
preserved.
The newspapers placed response
bility for the crisis on Great Bri-
tain and France, however, and made
it clear that any settlement would
have to be based on those powers
yielding to the Rome-Berlin axis.
II Messaggero outlined Italy's part
in diplomatic moves and her desire
to see conflict avoided, possibly in
dicating Premier Mussolini's will
ingness to join in any negotiations
for peaceful solution which ap-
pears practical from Italy's point
of view.
War Measures Pushed.
But Mussolini pushed measures
to place the nation in readiness If
war comes.
Close upon the calling of almost
a half million additional men to
the colors, the government levied a
new tax on gasoline which virtually
eliminated private motoring so the
country's limited supply of motor
fuel could be preserved for military
use.