THE IMPERIAL CONFERENCE AND ITALY

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22110, 4 June 1937, Page 7

THE IMPERIAL CONFERENCE AND ITALY

TO THJt SDITOB Of THE PBBSS. Sir—To argue about the trustworthiness or untrustworthiness of Italy is utterly foolish and futile. She is Quite as trustworthy as any other power. Will it be said by "D" that she was untrustworthy when she joined, the Allies? Will he deny that her "untrustworthiness" then was acclaimed as a virtue? Will he deny that the supposedly trustworthy powers who welcomed her assistance then with lavish promises of rewards failed or refused to fulfil their promises when the war was over and peace declared? Here is a citation from Winston Churchill's "The World Crisis," which Italy's detractors today cannot repudiate, though they might like to do so—"ln the spring of 1915 Italy had shown a disposition to come and help them (the Allies). The accession to this side of a nation of 35,000.000 mobilising an army of one and a half million strong, seemed to be a matter of the highest consequence .... The Germans were eagerly displaying to Italian eyes the advantages to Italy of playing a true part in the Triple Alliance. Instead of seeking the Trentino from Austria, why not take Savoy from France? And so on, bid and counter-bid Who can blame the Allied statesmen for dwelling upon the superior advantages which Italy could obtain at the expense of Austria and of Turkey? The Treaty of London, upon which Italy entered the war on the Allied side embodied the belief that to France and Britain the aid of Italy spelt speedy victory and that her hostility might mean their total defeat." The Allies were saved from such a catastrophe by Italy, their trustworthy ally. She poured out her treasure and her blood in championing the Allied cause. And what has been her reward? Ot all the Allied powers she has won least. New states have been carved out from the defeated countries, and territories have been handed over to her partners, while she had to content her-

self with the crumbs that fell from the table. , , As for Abyssinia, she need not feel ashamed that she has followed Britain's traditional course of colonial expansion. She has replaced the old savagery and slavery by the humane civilisation and culture of one of the most progressive states in Christendom. As to the other critic who would Introduce Biblical or religious issues, I prefer to have no part in the introduction of such sacred matters into a secular discussion.—Yours, etc., NINO DI SOMMA. June 3, 1937. tSubject to the right of reply of G. F. Seward this correspondence is now Closed.—Ed., "The Press."]