The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-05-01
Britain Loses Eight
 Planes In Air Raids
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 ranean, had that "empire iugular vein" been closed to British ships.
 Hundreds of ships, passenger and freight ships alike, will be affected. They had been ready all along for a diversion order, because even be- fore the war, due to Italys threat ening attitude, arrangements had been made to abandon the Mediter- ranean route If necessary.
 Pope Plus Tries Again
 Reliable ecclesiastical quarters said today that Pope Plus efforts to bring about n rapprochment between Italy and Great Britain was respon- siblc for Q long conference bee tween British Foreign Secretary Lord Halifax and the Italian Am- bassador at London, Giuseppe Bas- tlanini, last Friday,
 This source said that the Pope had sounded out Fascist leaders and had obtained Q four-point plan on which they would not be averse to reconciliation with Britain. Two of these points seemed to raise thorny problems. one point, Vatl- can sources believed, seemed likely to be acceptable to Britain and might form q basis for negotia- tionS.
 1. Italy'8 position in the Medltcr- ranean must be reViSed--thls, iL was believed, referred to ltaly's demands for French Tunisia and n share in the Sue2 canal, opposed by France,
 g. British assurance that italy's interests in the Balkans will not bc harmed by British economic pressure therc--thc point Lo which Britain would bc expected Lo agree readily.
 g. Recognition by Britain that the Italian alliance with Germany would not permit Italy to stand aloof if the Allies tried 70 over throw the Na2i regime or dlSmcm- Der Germany--the most difficult problem since the overthrow of "Hitlcrism" and the restoration Of C2cchoSloYnkia and Poland are the Allied war aims,
 4 That Italian maritime trade would not be hampercd by ,thc Brl- tIsh blockade, It was believed Bri- tain might also agree to this point If Italy gave assurance that she was not re-shipping goods to Ger many.
 Italy Not Yet Ready
 United states Ambassador William Phillips called on Premier Bcnito Mussolni today and was said to have been informed by Il Duce that no sudden change will be made m Italy's position relative to the war
 Phillips called on Mussolini, 1t was said 10 ascertain If possible what the Italian position s in the preesnt International situation in view of the sharpcned tone of Italian official and newspaper state mcntS relative to the Allies
 He spent 45 minutes With the premier and after the meeting It was said that Mussolini advised him no sudden change in the present Italian position of non-bclligerency Is In prospect,
 Chamberlain In an audience with King George last night was believed to have reported on the Norwegian and Italian situations,
 That he knew he faced difficult days, from the political viewpoint, was certain,
 Critical Speech
 Sir Archibald Sinclair, liberal patty leader, made at Edinburgh last night one of the most critical speeches the government had en- countered since the war started.
 "If the government has muddled t,iis Norwegian campaign it will be for parliament to act obiectively, fearlCssly and resolutely at the grand inquest of the nation"-- that is, an inquest on the cabinet, He said that evacuation of Southern Norway would be justified only If military leaders thought the situation be- yond repair. Britain must not "scuttle away from South Norway, he said.
 Warning that unless the govern ment acted vigorously and with de- termination in Norway neutrals would rush to climb on the Ger man band wagon Sinclair said; "Neutrals have gained the im- pression that we are good but slow, vacillating and ineffective, while the Germans are evil but swift and terrible. Although we can muddle through to victory in the long run we shall pay for feebleness of our political direction by prolongation of the war"