Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE MONDAY, APRIL 18th., 1938. BRITAIN AND ITALY.

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 April 1938, Page 6

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE MONDAY, APRIL 18th., 1938. BRITAIN AND ITALY.

yilE Anglo-Italian agreement is a triumph for commonsense, and no- surprise need be felt at the chorus of approval that has greeted the announcement of the reconciliation. At first reading, Britain appears to have gained the more, and in any event, it is preferable to have Italy as friend [than foe. Similarly, it is realised at Rome that it would be unwise to continue to antagonise Britain, whose rearmament and resources command respect. The position was fairly summed up recently by Mr. Morrison, Minister of Agriculture, when he said: “We in the Government know better than anybody the resources and’ temper of our country, and we| know the position of other conn-' tries better than most people do.! On the information before us, i there is not one of us who has the slightest doubt that if we went! into a war to-day with anyone we’ should emerge victorious. If it, came to the push, Britain would

be the most powerful and formidable nation still left on the globe.” Mr. Chamberlain’s policy has,

so far, been justified, and if lie can continue the good work, peace in Europe will be preserved. Some may doubt Italian good faith con- 1 cerning the new agreement, seeing that other pacts have been dishonoured by her, but it will not be in her interest to prove false to her latest engagement. It must not be overlooked that Italy mistrusted Britain’s intentions, in the Mediterranean and in Africa, and it is well that mutual suspicions should be removed. Those hostile to the new agreement, especially the deal regarding Abyssinia, should reflect on the alternative. Facts must be faced, and it is wiser to take some risk of betrayal, than accept enmity and inevitable war. The withdrawal of Italian troops from Spain will present difficulties for a time, and it will be necessary to be patient. General Franco appears now to have a decided advantage, and he can almost afford to do without Italian aid. The Spanish Government does not welcome the new agreement, realising that if Franco loses foreign help, so too will the Government troops. French sympathies with the latter will be more subdued because France is unlikely to encourage anything contrary to the spirit of the AngloItalian deal concerning Spain. Russia has long since lost her enthusiasm for the Spanish loyalists, and Germany will be glad to extricate herself from an intervention never popular in German military circles. .Should the Spanish tvar last longer than at present looks likely, belligerent rights will become an issue no longer to be evaded. Anglo-Italian reconciliation must have its influence on the Berlin-Rome friendship, and the prospects of obtaining a Four Power Pact have greatly improved. Tokio cannot be indifferent to European developments, and these, coupled with Japan’s recent checks in China, may make Japan more inclined to be less aggressive.