762.65/102: Telegram
The Ambassador in Italy (Long) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 16—9:05 a.m.]
120. My 116, June 14, 10 a.m. The following communiqué appeared in the morning papers as the final communiqué on the conversations between Mussolini and Hitler:
“The Chief of the Government and the German Chancellor continued and concluded today in a spirit of cordiality and collaboration the examination of the problems of general political interest as well as of those which relate more directly to the two countries.
The personal relations thus established between the two Chiefs of Governments will be continued in the future”.
In the course of a speech delivered by Mussolini at Venice on June 15th also published this morning the following statements were made:
“There has taken place during these days at Venice a meeting on which the attention of the world has been concentrated. But now I will say to you Italians and to all those beyond the frontiers that Hitler and I have met here not to retrace or to modify the political map of Europe and of the world or to add other motives of unrest to those which already disturb all the countries from the extreme east to the extreme west. We have met to try to dissipate the clouds which obscure the horizon of the political life of Europe. Let it be said once more that a terrible alternative stands before the conscience of all European people. Either they should regain a minimum of political unity, of economic collaboration and of moral understanding or the fate of Europe is irrevocably sealed.
We Italian Fascists, we Italian people, hardened by war and by the Fascist revolution can use this language because we have become a strong people. Our peace is therefore a virile peace because peace shuns the weak and attends the strong”.
It is stated that Hitler leaves Venice this morning for Germany.