ITALY & GERMANY

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 35, 11 February 1936, Page 9

ITALY & GERMANY

POSSIBLE ALLIANCE

FUTUBE .OF LOCAE.NO

BELIEVED TO BE SUBJECT OF TALKS

MAY BE RENOUNCED

United Press Association—By Electric TeleK ra[ih—Copyright. LONDON, February 10. Is Italy turning towards 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 towards Rome, says the correspondent. Herr Hitler hesitates on account of British susceptibilities, but is willing to meet Signor Mussolini as far as possible in the direction of easement of Italy's financial difficulties and the problem of supplies, though Germany's own difficulties preclude generosity. IJIPELLED TOWARDS ONE ANOTHER. 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 in her lot with Germany. The Rome correspondent of "Lc Temps" says: "If the sanctionist movement reaches the point «f compromising Italy's future she will have no alternative but to range herself alongside Germany." "L'Oeuvre" says that ; Home has found means to let Berlin understand that her policy is not indifferent to German opinion. M. Flandin, 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."