16 APRIL 1927, Page 3

The Italian Government has declared that it intends to keep

the twelve islands in the Aegean Sea known as the Dodecanese. Thus ends a strange, eventful history. Italy occupied the islands when she was at war with Turkey in 1912. Although the islands had been for a long time nominally Turkish they have always been Creek in population and character. This fact was so strongly recognized during the peace negotiations at the end of the Great War that Italy was prevailed upon to promise to hand over the islands, except Rhodes, to Greece. She changed her mind when the Greek army was driven into the sea by Turkey in Asia Minor, and now she intends to make her occupation permanent. * * * *