Evening star., 1940-05-08

SsSS
Other Countries
May Be Invaded
Tension Eases in
Mediterranean as ItoIy
Watches War Moves
ROME, May 8 GA Fascist
Senate report describing Italy's
attitude toward the war as one
Of "pre-belligerency" rather than
"non-belligerency" gave fresh
support today to the growing be-
lief that this country is only
waiting for an opportune moment
to enter the war.
This new statement of Italian
policy tended to reafnrm previous
- emi-oficial assertions that Italy
could not remain permanently
out Of the tight.
~ the Associated Press.
ROME, May 8-Pope Plus XII
made 1t known today he shared
widespread. fears that other coun-
tries were in danger of invasion.
Addressing an audience of 1000
pilgrims. including Al French chill
dren, at the Vatican, the Pope said
"a world poisoned with lies and
disloyalty has lost the spiritual
health of peace"
The earth should be a place of
concord" the pontiff declared, but
instead the fire of war has broken
out In various nations and is threat.
ening to invade Others"
Meanwhile, tension in the Medi-
terranean subsidized somewhat as it
became evident Italy still is watch
Ing the moves of other countries and
particularly the fate Of the Chem
berlain government before taking
any belligerent action.
Peace Declared Aim.
Virginio Gayda, frequently Premier
Mussolini's mouthpiece, declared italy
intends to remain in peace and
friendly cooperation" with the
Balkan countries.
His statement in the newspaper
II Giornale d1talia was made in ex-
planning that any British attempt to
blockade Italy at Gibraltar would
fail because essential supplies could
be obtained from the Balkans.
Italians blamed the British for the
apprehension and alarm in the
Balkans and Near East which led to
reported precautionary measures by
Italy, the allied and other nations
in this area.
One Rome newspaper, II Messag-
gero, accused the allies of spreading
false reports to provoke incidents
and spread war.
II Messaggero declared reports Of
strong italian troop reinforcements
on the Yugoslav frontier were false
Diplomatic observers said their in
vestigations also failed to disclose
any unusual massing Of Italian
troops there.
Not Abandoning Claim.
Gayda said Gibraltar could not
change 1talys position and deci-
sion.
- But, he added, this did not mean
that italy was abandoning her claim
to freedom in the Mediterranean
from British control.
It was widely believed in Rome that
italy would like to internationalize
both Gibraltar and the Suez Canal,
western and eastern entrances to the
Mediterranean, in the next peace
treaty.
Gibraltar and Suez," Gayda said,
"like other systems created by two
imperial democracies britain and
France) on the Mediterranean
shores remain an ever obvious ex-
preston Of an intolerable hegemony
which, although It can be faced VIC
toriously In case Of war. means q
regime which cannot justify itself
in any way with the European order
OF justice and liberty for all ma
tions."
Fascist newspapers published and
thereby gave authority to a Moscow
report that italy would enter the
war only If the allies violated Bal
kan neutrality.
Seen Awaiting Proper Time.
The article was reproduced from
the Soviet trades union newspaper
Trud and conceded with diplomatic
opinion In Rome.
"Italy's prudent position Of non-
belligerency Jet it be supposed that
Mussolini Is awaiting the most op-
perfume moment to set In motion
his program and become the master
Of the Mediterranean" Trude said.
This moment, Trud continued,
would be when the belligerents
exhausted their forces and the in
tervention of fresh Italian troops
could assure the superiority Of one
camp over the other. It is difncult
for any one in Italy to suppose
such a moment has arrived"
Trud said Italy lacked raw ma
terials for q long war and her
Intervention now would fail to end
the war in q short time.
Therefore, 1t added, talk Of Italy
entering the war could be consid-
cred "only threat, probably in
tended to prevent Anglo-Frencn
violation Of Balkan neutrality, which
would no doubt bring Italy's imme-
diate intervention If 1t came about"