The Times | December 19, 1935

Duce’s Speech Of Defiance FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT ROME, DEC. 18 Inaugturating to-day the third of the townships created on the reclaimed Pontine Marshes, Signor Mussolini told the labourers and country-folk of Pontinia that Italy would persist in her Abvssinian policy until she issued victorious. Addressed as it was mainly to r ustic hearers, the speech was expressed in simple terms, but its political import was none the less obviously directed to a wider audience. It was at once interpreted by several of the invited guests as forecasting if not a total rejection at least a demand for the radical modificdtion of the Anglo- French proposals.

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The Times | December 21, 1935

Hard Thinking In Paris IROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDEN-T PARIS, DEC. 20 For Press and public alike yesterday’s debate in the House of Commons has proved of absorbing interest. Not a word of the unusually full reports published here escapes a keenly critical examination. On one thing there is general agreement, accompanied by resentment or regret according to belief in its truth. It is that the main line of the British Government’s defence was French reiuctance to honour the pledge of mutual assistance contained in Paragraph 3, Article X\Vl., of the Covenant. It would be hard to say wvhich of the two main speeches attracts greater attention. For while Sir Samuel Hoare’s declaration throws a greater light on the motives which inspired him to agree to M. Laval’s proposals, Mr. Baldwin’s utter- ance is taken to reveal the trend of future British policy.

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The Times | December 23, 1935

M. Laval’s Victory Once again M. LAVAL has won a remarkable victory in the French Chamber, though this time by a narrower margin than in any of the other crises which have threatened his Ministry. His speech in reply to his critics on Saturday, the second day of the debate, was a great achievement, undoubtedly turning in his favour the tide of opinion which had been running heavily against him. There were several other notable speeches in the course of a very frank debate. On the whole the result should be to improve the outlook for cooperation by the two countries in the maintenance of peace by collective security. M. LAVAL’S opening speech on Friday explaining the origin of the Paris peace proposals, which he admitted were now dead, had been coldly received.

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The Times | December 16, 1935

“Wedding Ring Day” In Italy FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT ROME, DEC. 15 The final touches are now being given to the elaborate arrangements of Wedding Ring Day which has been fixed for Wednesday. The latest order of the secretary of the Fascist Party says that on this day-which is also to mark the inauguration of Pontinia, the third of the new communities created in the Pontine marshes-the whole of the country must be beflagged from sunrise to sunset. A flaming crucible is to be placed near each war monument throughout the country.

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The Times | December 20, 1935

Uneasiness In Rome FROMf OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT ROME, DEC. 19 Official Italian opinion affects to-night to see in the resignation of Sir Samuel Hoare nothing beyond a personal affair. Sir Samuel, one of the customary spokes- men suggests, resigned because he was made the target of sharp criticism, and perhaps because he wanted to faciJitate the work of his Government. Yet his recent statements on the Abyssinian problem are not regarded as cancelled. He was then speaking as a member of the British Cabinet, and as that Cabinet is still in power the Anglo-French proposals, according to the Italian view, must still hold good.

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