COMMENT IN LONDON.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 134, 18 March 1940, Page 5

COMMENT IN LONDON.

MEETING WAS INEVITABLE. * AFTER; RIBBENTROP’S FAILURE. (Received This Day, 1 p.m.) LONDON, March 17. No particular surprise was manifested in diplomatic and journalistic circles in London, when it became known that Signer Mussolini and Herr Hitler were to meet. Many shrewd observers, here, believe that the failure of Herr von Ribbentrop’s mission last week-end made the meeting a foregone conclusion, and the fact that the meeting has occurred, sooner rather than later, and before Mr Sumner Welles has actually left on his return to Washington, is felt slightly to increase, but not greatly to change, its signficanoe. Whether Herr Hitler will be more successful than Herr von Ribbentrop in explaining the recent inconsistencies in. German -policy is doubted by mostj and, although diplomatic correspondents and political commentators express a variety, of views, thei prevailing opinion is that Herr Hitler has nothing to offer which will induce Signor Mussolini to abandon bis-carefully-planned policy of - non-belligerency, or compromise the chances, which, to judge by articles in tlve Italian newspapers supposed to have close contacts with official Italian sources, lie still believes to exist of preventing the spread of hostilities before they reach a decisive phase. . .' Signor Mussolini will have an opportunity, of learning Herr Hitler’s reflections upon Mr Roosevelt’s speech yesterday, which, attracts considerable: attention here. , Signor Mussolini will also be. in a position to tell Herr Hitler of his latest conversations with Mr Welles, after, bis London and Paris visits. There is no reason to simnose Mr Welles’s reticence will have been less baffling to Rome than to London, but. even through his .reserve, Signor Mussolini is not likely not to have guessed something of the impression, which it is confidently believed in London Mr Welles has derived, of the determination of the. Allies to achieve their war aims.—-British Official Wireless.