SANCTIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 268, 12 November 1935, Page 13

SANCTIONS.

ITALY AND BRITAIN.

PLEA FOR UNDERSTANDING.

AN ITALIAN'S VIEWPOINT.

(By SALVATORE LO GIUDICE.)

The Italo-Abyssinian conflict has already exploded a kind of historical gun-powder that Italy and Britain will in the near future surely regret having set on fire. There was no absolute need just at the present time for them bringing the old Italo-British friendship at divorce's point, because an unopposed Italian military holiday in Addis Ababa would have served Britain a great deal more beneficially to her people, than it has up to date. Britain's opposition to Italy, it is true, means the strengthening of the League of Nations, but what concrete , gain will Britain derive from the League? Taking with a grain of salt the latest figures issued from Rome, it can be shown that Britain above all is the nation who is losing most, and from November 10 onwards, she must be prepared to witness the lews of an important coal market, for Italy is the most profitable coal buyer she has had in Europe since 1870. British coal merchants must feel sorry to see Italy go from them, for in these 05 years Italy has spent there no less than 18.780 million lire on coal alone, eo say little or nothing about wool, Indian cotton, wood, wood pulp, iron, oil, and Canadian and Australian wheat. In 1934 alone Italy bought in England wheat worth 460 million lire, raw cotton 738 million lire, coal 786 million lire, wood and wood pulp 405 million lire, wool 397 million lire, maize 237 million lire, and iron and machinery 78 million lire, making a total for the year of 3074 million lire. These figures are not negligible in these hard times, and the loss of such trade must surely be studied before (sanctions are applied. Britain's concern in the matter surpusses that of all other nations, because her defence of the Covenant is hitting not the others, but herself. Latvia, Poland, Denmark, Norway and all the other email Powers do not mean anything to Italy, because Italy has little trade with them. And while Britain has been making a diplomatic fight to protect the small and weaker nations her Italian trade has gone to Austria, to Hungary, to South America, to Persia and to the U.S.A., showing that no nation tries to act as sincerely toward Britain as she does towards others. Britain Has Much at Stake. On the date when sanctions are applied Britain will achieve a moral victory, but that is about all. In deciding that Italy should bo punished for breaking the Covenant Britain is putting at stake something of great importance to the Empire. Sir Samuel Hoare's speech on September 4 was illuminating on this matter. His apppearance at Geneva was not so much triumphant ae it was actually tragic. Seen through penetrating Italian eyes Sir Samuel went to Geneva to exchange realities for abstractions, to buy the spiritual and offer material in return. Ten years ago no British foreign Minister would have encouraged hope of the willingness of Britain to give Europe what Europe needed. What Britain had was to remain hers and be everlastingly respected. Yet on September 4 Sir Samuel Hoare spoke of a possible repartition of British land and raw materials eo long ae Europe kept within the Covenant. Britain was ready to investigate European grievances and satisfy all their demands, since she had plenty, but for what actual return? Collective peace and security? Not in Europe of to-day, anyway! In comparison with what is expected to happen when Hitler's sword has been proporly sharpened, the Italo-Abyesinian conflict of to-day may be regarded as a mere playful skirmish, the prologue of the greater disaster to come. When her days comes, it remains to be seen whether Germany will acquire her lost territories without firing a single shot, or whether she must, by use of force, bring France, Britain and Italy to the exact dilemma in which she placed them in 1914. . Surely no wise thinking Briton dare hand over colonial territories as freely and unconcernedly as certain political men in Britain believe. Was it for such a generous act that 1,000,000 British youths shed their lives in Flanders, Somino and Gallipoli from 1914 to 1918? What explanation will the allied Powers make to future history if they depart from that strong friendship promoted during the Great War ? Effects of Sanctions. The application of sanctions will humiliate and make things hard for Italy, and she will learn many things during the ordeal. There will be privations of many kinds, but so long as the Fascist Government has plenty of wheat at its disposal, Italy will fare better than she did during the Great War. She needs wheat above all, because from it Italy produces its two chief foods— bread and niararoni. Meat will be purchased by special rationing cards, and meat will be largely replaced by dried and fresh fish. There will be a scarcity of butter, fats, lard, ham, cheese, coffee, and several other minor foodstuffs, which Italy imports from other countries. These also will be subject to rationing cards. On November 5 prices of goods soared up in Milan, Venice, Rome and Naples. Textiles, chemicals, luxuries, and minerals of all kind head the list. Only bread, oil, wine, macaroni, dried peas, dried beans, oranges, lemons, potatoes and rice remain at their usual price. On the .whole the country is not feeling very bad effects of the war. There is, at the moment, a boom of paper and silver money. Every one, except those men belonging to those industries that depend on export, has been temporarily! re-employed. In war time no one thinks of the depression which follows every conflict. "Means a Stronger Germany." Everything at present points to the probability that Italy will.survive the crisis, though she will be bound to bleed. Her wounds will not concern Italy alone, but Europe, and Britain no less. A weak Italy means a stronger Germany, and England, like France, cannot look happily upon all those obstacles that faced them when pre-war industrial Germany was so strong. The trade, which to-day has drifted from London and Paris to Berlin and New York, represents a European mistake of great magnitude. That trade may remain there for many I years to come, and Germany become *

stronger at the expense of a misunderstanding among those who nailed her on the cross of Versailles. The recent sympathetic overtures of Germa.ny have no concrete hopes to offer Britain. Germany has all to win, and it is again Britain which has all to put at stake, since it is she who still holds most of which Germany lost during the wa.r. The German diplomats are keen to find a key for every European lock. And they may do it yet. Italian Propaganda. Count Ciano's recent radio talk to America finds no solid approval in students of modern history, because the speech was one-sided and extreme. One wonders whether Ciiuio meant what he said. His speech was inspired by diplomatic motives. He well knows that Italy, like it or not, will have to live with her fellow European people", because she is one of them. Aud though Fascism strongly combats international injustice, Fascism does not build on a theory of hate. Italy's reaction against New Zealand (among others who have approved sanctions) has created comment, because it was an act which New Zealanders did not expect. Those placed on the "black list" may feel offended and wounded, but is there one reflective man here who, after inflicting on Italy the humiliation of the sanction, expected an official radio from Mussolini expressing gratitude? Sanctions are not pacifying Italy; they are hardening her. There will not be any talks of conciliation now. Mussolini will go ahead, because he wants to, and because so many European obstacles have driven him to that end. Europe knows that quite well. Yet, the best thing Italy and Britain could, do would be to settle their differences and carry out the agreement which both of them signed secretly at Stresa, lest the attempt to preserve peace lead to actual and irreparable war. Italy and Britain have too much in common to come into desperate conflict. If they do, it will mean the beginning of the end for both of them.