IS ITALY TURNING TO GERMANY?

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 117, 11 February 1936, Page 9

IS ITALY TURNING TO GERMANY?

Talks Now In Progress

SANCTIONS MAY FORCE HER HAND Future of Locarno Pact By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. (Received February 10,11.30 p.m.) London, February 10. Is Italy turning toward Germany? The “Daily Telegraph’s” Berlin correspondent says that the future of the Locarno Treaty is believed to be the subject of talks which are progressing between Berlin and Rome. It is considered that an emergency might arise from the Abyssinian war which would cause Italy to withdraw from the Treaty. This would afford Germany an opportunity of denouncing the Rhineland demilitarisation protocol. The position now appears to be that Italy would renounce her trust as guarantor if Herr Hitler would make an open gesture of friendship toward Rome. Herr Hitler hesitates on account of British susceptibilities, but is willing to meet Signor Mussolini ag far as possible in the direction of easement of Italy’s flnancal difficulties and the problem of supplies, though Germany’s own difficulties preclude generosity. The “Daily Mail's” Paris correspondent says that well-informed writers express the opinion that Italy is being impelled by the hostility of sanctionist Powers to throw her lot in with Germany. The Rome correspondent of Le Temps” says: “If the sanctionist movement reaches the point of compromising Italy’s future she will have no alternative but to range herself alongside Germany.

“L’Oeuvre” says that Rome has found means to let Berlin understand that her policy is not indifferent to German opinion. M. Flan Gin, however, told the Council of Ministers that there was little probability of oil sanctions because experts had agreed that an embargo would be inoperative without United States co-operation. Secondly, there was little enthusiasm in the capitals of Europe for “this extremely dangerous move.”