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Ever the conciliatory, constructive statesman. Ambassador Davis called the London naval situation last week "difficult but far from hopeless.'' Though each of the Big Three had aired its views to the Press and made discreet private contacts they will not begin to negotiate officially until this week, will try to rough out a groundwork permitting France and Italy to join the London parleys by Christmas, with a view to calling the 1935 Naval Conference early next spring.
French taunts at Italy, to the effect that she is "too poor'' to build the two new 35,000 ton super-battleships which Premier Mussolini announced last May, were abruptly silenced last week when Il Duce caused steel for the frames of the two ships to be dumped at the yards ready for assembling. "Work will be begun on the twelfth anniversary of the March on Rome, Oct. 28," announced the Dictator's press office. "Naval chaplains will bless the work on both ships as the riveting begins."
*The common derogatory Japanese epithet Keto (literally "hairy Chinese") is used for all foreigners, hairy or otherwise.