GREAT BRITAIN AND ITALY.

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 169, 4 August 1937, Page 4

GREAT BRITAIN AND ITALY.

There caii be iittle doubt as to the establishment of more cordial relations between Great Britain and Italy being an almost essentiai pteliminary to establishing also a reign of peace in Europe. Great Britain3 s leading part in the League of Nations aftbfnpt to impose "sanctions" on Italy when engaged in the conquest of Abyssinia, naturaily enough, engendered a very deep feeling of bitterness in that country, which has, of course, been maintained by Britain's refusal, so far, to giye diplomatic recognition to the conquest. However, it woulci seem from the communications that have repently been passing betweeq the two chancelleries, especially those between tne British Prime Minister and Signor Mussolini, that there is some^fair prospect of at least rational discussion of still existing p.oints of "difference. So far as the Empirp is concerned there are very many good reasons why eyery effort should be made to restoreHhe friendship which^ practically ever since Italy3 s consolidation as a nation nearly a centpry ago, had existed betvyeen the two peoples. Italy had always recognised the assistance which she had received from Great Britain in setting herself upon her feet again. Just now, in the ftrst place, Great Britain's Mediteranean interests- are of outstanding importance, and if what is termed the "gentlemen3s agreement33 enter^d into between Britain and Italy at the beginning of this year can be transformed -into something of a more solid and enduring character, a great deal will have been achieved. 5 Italy3 s annexation of Abyssinia and her develbpment of her North African territory have created new problems for Great Britain iu Egvpt and the Sudan. Having the Nile source in its possession, Italy could work great mischief to the usefulness of the irrigation s.chemes on which both these great regions depepd l^rgely for their productivpn'ess and prosperity, to say nothing of the possibility of invasion. Little, if anything, less than the Mediterranean is freedom of passage through the Red Sea of imp^rtance to. the Empire, so that full iegard ipnst be had to the foothold that Italy has secured on its western shore. With a friendly Italy too, the pacificatioq of Palestine might prove a less troublesome task. The main stumbling-block in the way of a really cordial rapproachment is, of course, still the Abyssinian questipn, and it will be of great interest to watch how that will be dealt with.