AT THE BRENNER PASS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 October 1940, Page 5

AT THE BRENNER PASS

MEETING OF AXIS LEADERS PLANS THAT HAVE GONE AWRY. EMINENT CAUTION OF ITALIAN NAVY. (British Offiicial Wireless.) RUGBY, October 5. Diplomatic circles in London do not appear greatly impressed by the exceedingly vague content of the official statement put out after the conference of the Axis leaders at the Brenner Pass. As the “Daily Telegraph” points out, two fields of action have been tempting them following the disappointment of their hopes of an early British collapse. These are the Balkans and Africa. There are, however, rivalries between German and Italian 1 interests in the Balkans which the Axis has done little to compose. Africa may be easier to divide on paper and Mussolini might be willing to accept orders to attack the British if Hitler would supply him with air and land forces, since he must face the fact that on the sea the German navy is in no case to assist the Italian or to cavil at its eminent caution. This newspaper is typical in its summing up —“rumour talks of some major move and whispers of peace proposals. It is equally possible that the suggestion of an offered peace may cloak the imminence of fresh military action or that another sham of pacific intentions may be offered us. We are ready for the first and we shalljnot be deceived by the second.” Though all the British newspapers give prominence to the meeting, little editorial comment is made. The “Daily Telegraph,” under the heading “Next Move,” states that Hitler met Mussolini on the Brenner Pass in the middle of March and then arranged that Italy should wait and not enter the war till Germany had disposed of France. In the middle of June they conferred again to divide the spoils. Since that time everything had gone awry with the dictatorships. The Luftwaffe was to have overwhelmed the British Air Force and opened our shores to a mass invasion, long before this. Italy should have swept the Mediterranean, cut off our armies in the Near East and struck at the central communications of the Empire. Berlin advertised that it would celebrate a total triumph last month.

Speaking of yesterday’s meeting, the “Daily Telegraph” says that wheii Hitler shook hands with Mussolini they were able to exchange congratulations on the shattering defeat of the Luftwaffe, on the destruction of the flotillas of the invasion, on the continually heavier bombing of Germany’s war machine, on the recurring flights of the Italian fleet, on the incapacity of the Italian Air Force and on the prolonged hesitation of the Italian army hundreds of desert miles away from the Nile and the Suez Canal. TALK IN ROME NEW EUROPE TO INCLUDE AFRICA. LONDON, October 5. It is denied in Rome that the Brenner Pass meeting was in any way related to a peace move. It is also denied that German troops are participating in Marshal Graziani’s offensive. The only German detachment in Africa, it is reported, is a company of volunteers from German residents in Abyssinia.

The Berlin Press unanimously declares that Europe and Africa represent a whole, for which reason the Axis will make its political and military decisions in one inclusive programme for action. The Brenner Pass conference definitely shaped the picture of a new Europe to include Africa.