Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1938. FRANCE AND ITALY.

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 December 1938, Page 6

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1938. FRANCE AND ITALY.

with lesser mortals, international leaders have their personal likes and dislikes, which affect their negotiations with each other. For instance, it is recalled that during the proceedings connected with the framing of the Versailles Treaty, the French Premier, M. Clemenceau, and President Wilson did not get on well together. One delegate was maintaining that there .was little difference between a disaster and an accident. “Not at all,” replied Clemenceau. “If Wilson fell into a well it would be an accident. If he got out again it would be a disaster.” There is no doubt that these personal relationships have great influence on the discussions, and the defects of the Versailles Treaty were due in part, to the illfeeling between some of the Allies’ representatives. It would be interesting to know exactly what Mr. Chamberlain,

Hitler, and Mussolini think of each other. Appearances suggest that their meetings in connection with the Czech crisis, caused the three leaders to bo desirous of closer personal contact, the arrangement for British-Italian talks in Rome supporting this conjecture. A greater spirit of compromise prevails when men are personally friendly, and where international negotiations are concerned, this mutual appreciation is of immense importance. Air. Chamberlain will have a delicate task in adjusting his desire to be friendly with Italy, and also with France. Should ho succeed in bringing these two Powers in closer harmony, he will, again, deserve the thanks of the entire world. For the moment. FrancoItalian relations are somewhat strained, but diplomacy should be able to avoid the threatened clash. Air. Chamberlain's statement in the Commons, that Britain had no specific agreement with France to assist her if her colonies were attacked, was a conventional official phrase. Pact or otherwise, Britain could not be neutral if Italy were to attack France, wantonly. British interests in the Alediterranean and North African areas are bound up with those of France.

Left to 1 hemselves, France and Italy would bo well-matched, with the odds favouring France. However, such a conflict would ruin both, Germany being the chief gainer. Italy already, is becoming as a junior partner with Germany, and even a victorious war with France ■would leave Italy so financially crippled, that she could make no effective objection to anything Germany proposed. There is cause for Italian mis-

givings regarding German penetration of South Eastern Europe. Under the circumstances, and in face of French determination not to yield to clamour, Mussolini will be wise in his next month’s talk with Air. Chamberlain, to be

reasonable in his suggestions. Approached in the right way, France might agree to concessions regarding the railway to Abyssinia, and Italian inclusion in control of the Suez Canal. Mr. Chamberlain’s resolve to work for peace is generally endorsed, but. as he has pointed out, the concessions must come from all partners in any controversy. One hopeful development is the desire of Germanv for friendship with Britain.