MEETING AT BRENNER PASS

Evening Star, Issue 23699, 5 October 1940, Page 11

MEETING AT BRENNER PASS

AXIS WAR PLAHS MISCARRY VISION OF PROGRAMME INDICATED Press Association —By Telegraph Copyright LONDON, October 4. (Received October 5, at 10 a.m.) Hitler, with General von Keitel, met Mussolini at Brenner Pass. Advance reports of the meeting were described in Berlin yesterday as an indiscretion, but this morning it was officially announced that the meeting would take place at noon. ' Unofficial reports state that Hitler, who passed through Munich last night in an armoured train, was preceded by von Ribbentrop, and Ciano left Rome in advance of Mussolini to prepare for the meeting, which is the sequel to much diplomatic activity in the Axis countries. The most advertised result of this activity was the signature of the German- * Italian-Japanese * pact. It was coincident with the visit to Berlin and Rome of Senor Suner, the prolongation of whose stay in Rome until to-morrow, it has been somewhat ostentatiously stated, has nothing to do with any political developments. There is no - indication of any intention by Spain to modify its policy of non-belligerence, and it is noted here , that the Italian Press now generally assumes that Spain’s entry into the war as an armed participant is not expected. American Press speculation as to the topics of the Brenner discussion suggest that, in view of the failure of the invasion plan and the miscalculation of the results of the aerial bombardment of London and the heavy losses suffered in' the raids on Britain, the dictators will explore the'possibilities of an offensive in other directions, including Egypt.