Wairarapa Times-Age TUESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1938. CALLING ON MUSSOLINI.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 December 1938, Page 6

Wairarapa Times-Age TUESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1938. CALLING ON MUSSOLINI.

ACCORDING to one of yesterday’s cablegrams, the more moderate tone now adopted towards France in the Italian Press is welcomed in London, as it is felt that an improved atmosphere will result for the visit shortly to be made to Italy by the British Prime Minister (Mr Neville Chamberlain) and Foreign Secretary (Lord Halifax). It must be hoped that the British Government has conveyed a particularly plain intimation to Signor Mussolini and his associates that unless that better atmosphere is created, Mr Chamberlain and Lord Halifax will cancel their projected trip.

The situation is by no means completely cleared up by the news that the Italian papers are no longer vilifying France in support of demands for Tunisia, Corsica and Jibuti. Attention has been drawn to a statement made by the French Foreign Minister (M. Bonnet) that no formal demand for the cession of any territory has been made by Italy, and to Mr Chamberlain’s announcement “that Britain’s view of the undertaking to respect the status quo in the Mediterranean, embodied in the Anglo-Italian agreement, applied to Tunis.” Against the fact that no formal demand has been made by Italy, however, it has to be considered that, under the Fascist regime, such a demonstration as the Italian newspapers have lately made against France can only be made at the instigation and with the countenance of the dictatorship headed by Signor Mussolini.

Had nothing more been in question than an irresponsible newspaper campaign, Mr Chamberlain’s formal statement, just quoted, would hardly have been necessary. In fact, however, the statement was necessary and well-timed because the demonstration and demands had to be regarded as being made, though under cover, by the Italian Government. At best this is not a very promising introduction to the impending conversations in Rome between the British Ministers and Signor Mussolini. The position seems to be that a firm and united stand by France arid Britain has been needed to induce the Italian dictatorship to refrain from proceeding with predatory demands and from deliberately violating an agreement with Britain which has just been formally ratified.

If the conversations in Rome are to serve any useful purpose, Italy on her part must be ready, not only to refrain from new provocation and aggression, but must be prepared to co-operate with Britain in constructive efforts to establish safeguards of European peace. Even from a standpoint of self-interest, Italy might very reasonably be ready, and even eager, to take this course. Much as the Berlin-Rome axis has been boomed in Italy, as well as in Germany, the alliance is working out increasingly to the aggrandisement of the Reich and is tending more and more to relegate Italy to a position of inferiority and subordination. It evidently does not bode well for Italy that, following on the seizure of Austria and the dismemberment of Czechoslovakia, Germany is visibly shaping plans for the Nazification of the whole of the Danube States.

Italy has yet to give the first indication, however, that she is prepared to modify in any particular the partnership of aggression in which she is linked with Nazi Germany. She has not only given general approval and support to the German eastward drive, but has taken and is still taking a predominant part in the invasion of Spain. It is'now plain to all the world that in the'extent to which they took definite form, her promises of withdrawal from Spain have been dishonoured. If Italy is determined to pursue the Spanish adventure to a termination satisfactory from her own standpoint, that in itself would appear to set a brand of futility upon the proposed vjisit to Rome of the British Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary.

Besides being an outrage on the Spanish people, the invasion of Spain is a direct threat to Britain and to her loyal ally, France. Logically, therefore, a refusal by Signor Mussolini to agree to a cessation of the war in Spain save on terms dictated by his puppet, General Franco, should be regarded as making the proposed visit of British Ministers to Rome something worse than a waste of time. It must be hoped that Mr Chamberlain is alive to the fact that a stage has been, reached at which any further extension of the policy of mere concession to the dictatorships probably would not be tolerated by the democracies, and if it were certainly could not be regarded as a contribution to European and world peace.