BALKAN TRIANGLE

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 452, 8 June 1937, Page 3

BALKAN TRIANGLE

SIGNOR MUSSOLINI’S AIMS Rome-Berlin-Vienna Rome, May 10. Signor Mussolini at Venice has completed another step towards more strongly identifying Austrian and Danubian interests with the RomeBerlin entente. The reports issued on completion of the Mussolini-Schu-schnigg conversations brought out this point strongly.

The economic salvation of the Danubian, countries, it is held here, dan only be secured through the reconciliation 6f conflicting political policies.

Signor Mussolini has evidently taken upon himself the extremely difficult task of trying to do- so and to manoeuvre all the countries concerned into one’ fold with a view, in the long run, to the cj’eation of an economic bloc stretching from Hamburg to Trieste and Constiantinople. On the German-Austrian issue, the activities of the Nazis are causing anxiety in Vienna. The Schuschnigg Government wants no Auschluss under the mantle of Herr Hitler. Neither does Italy. A compromise seems to hiave been reached under which Italy has agreed to a plan whereby the National Socialistsl in Austria will be invited to collaborate with the Patriotic Front, with the prospect of eventual participation in the Vienna Cabinet. But even here there are difficulties. The Reich-controUedi Nazis in Austria must detach themselves from antiCatholicism before they can be identified' with the Patriotic Front. On the l positive side of Austro-Ge.r-man relations, las far as the Rome-Berlin-Vienna triangle is concerned, continued opposition to Communism has been reaffirmed. It is tactly recognised here that a Hapsburg restoration would certainly tend to negative the Anschluss.', but that is an issue being kept in reserve. Another question discussed at Venice was the Little Entente (Rumania, Cechoslovakia and Yugoslavia). Those three countries were considered in relation to the Danubian problem land to the Rome-Berlin axis.

The Itaio-Yugoslav agreement was welcomed as evidence of what common interests can do towards collaboration affecting South-Eastern Europe, and a.s evidence of how Little Entente interests Can aJso be identifled with those of •the Rome ProtoI cols. Rumania’s nosi'tion, it was recognised, can be changed in favour of the Rome Protocols by means of economic concessions, and by the develi opment of the Latin sympathies of the Rumanian people. Czechoslovakia is a harder nut to crack, and it will be the particular care of Italy to see that alleged French attempts to promote a Czecho-slovak-Austrian front lagainst Germany are negatived.