Manawatu Evening Standard. THURSDAY, NOV. 26, 1936. THE NEW PACT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 308, 26 November 1936, Page 8

Manawatu Evening Standard. THURSDAY, NOV. 26, 1936. THE NEW PACT.

Italy, Germany and Japan have come together, ostensibly to combat Communism, but actually the agreement amounts to a comprehensive trade and military pact. It is the outcome, no doubt, of a desire to show contempt for the League of Nations which has expressed itself in unmeasured terms of the past conduct of Italy and Japan, and the co-operation of these two nations has been sought by Germany to support the latter’s national aspirations. Japan first left the League of Nations because her aggressive action in North China was condemned by the League, the Lytton report being rather severe on her. Moreover, Japan’s administration of the mandated territories in the Pacific is under suspicion, and the Japanese delegate attending the League to give an account of the mandated islands displayed a stubborn ignorance of the actualities of the situation. However, Japan will be glad of any excuse to keep the Muscovite pinned to Europe, for it is very evident that Japan is mortally afraid of Russia because of its powerful air armament. Japan has had to acknowledge Italy’s conquest. of Abyssinia, which no doubt is pleasing to Italy. . Germany has also acknowledged Italy’s sovereignty over Abyssinia as the price of German freedom in Eastern and Southern Europe. Germany found it necessary to retire from the League so that she may break treaties right and left, and she has broken them with impunity. Italy’s, or rather Mussolini’s, ardent desire is to have Britain acknowledge Abyssinia as a Roman Empire. It does not matter about France, or the "United States, but it is of special importance to secure Britain’s recognition. Britain refuses to act except through the League of Nations, and there is no indication of the League yielding to Italy. So far as Mussolini is °concerned the position in the Mediterranean is not the same as it was earlier in the year. Cyprus and Malta were then defenceless, Egypt was in a state of unrest, and there was no cohesion of the States bordering on the Mediterranean. The position is quite different now. Cyprus and Malta are being' put into a position of defence, Egypt is an ally of Britain, and has agreed to the fortification of Alexandria, and Britain is also seeing to the defences of Haifa, and finally the courtesy visit of the Turkish fleet to Malta is significant. The alignment of Germany, Italy and Japan does not mean international strife, because they fully recognise the strength of Russia, France and Britain. As her statesmen have said so often Britain stands for peace.