ANGLO-ITALIAN AGREEMENT

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 April 1938, Page 7

ANGLO-ITALIAN AGREEMENT

EFFECT ON GERMANY CHECK TO FORWARD POLICY ? [by CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —■COPYRIGHT,] LONDON, April 18. The bearing of the British-Italian agreement on Italian relations with Germany is the subject of interesting comment. The diplomatic correspondent of the “Manchester Guardian” says the agreement certainly received additional significance through the German conquest of Austria, and it is not surprising that Signor Mussolini wanted it signed before Herr Hitler’s arrival in Rome.

Italy has been placed in a grave dilemma. The development of a panGerman hegemony threatens to exclude her influence from south-eastern Europe. Her port of Trieste is already suffering because Austrian trade is now being diverted to the North Sea. Moreover, Germany has begun to take an interest in the Near East and Italy may have to consider the prospect of conflict between her own interests and Germany’s in regions where Britain and France were hitherto her only serious rivals. She is in some danger of being confined to the western Mediterfan'ean. fit is believed in London and apparently in Rome that the agreement will give her a certain independence. helping her to avoid the danger of becoming an instrument of German foreign policy—an instrument, moreover, that will be used by Herr I T ?ler io Imld Britain and France in I check while he carries out his plans in eastern and south-eastern Europe. U.S.A. PRESS ESTIMATE NEW YORK, April IS. The “New York Times” in a leading article on the British-Italian agreement, says:— “Unquestionably this is an event of great international importance. It may mark the turning point of the dark tides which were recently running in one direction. The best reason for hoping that it will be observed is that the reconciliation was so stronglly desired by both Governments that Mr. Chamberlain staked his political reputation upon it. and Signor Mussolini curbed his Mediterranean ambitions. The pact will not break the Rome-Eerlin axis—Britain has no illusions on that score. If the accord leads in the direction charted by Mr. Chamberlain, whose purpose is to, strengthen Europe either with or against Germany, it will indicate his statesmanship and prove a potent element for European peace.”