MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1923. ITALY'S AGGRESSION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18494, 3 September 1923, Page 6

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1923. ITALY'S AGGRESSION.

It is impossible to exaggerate the seriousness of Italy's action in forcibly .occupying Corfu. In itself that action is precipitate and! ruthless beyond ordinary experience moreover, it is fraught with very grave international menace. As a blow

obviously aimed at the security of

Greece, it signalises the resurgence of a long-standing animosity. The circumstances have an extremely sinister significance when viewed merely in the light of that animosity. An Italian general and his colleagues travelling on a diplomatic mission are set upon, within the boundaries of Greece, near the Graeco-Albanian frontier— Albanian brigands, Greece declares; by Greek assassins, the Albanian Government insists. Italy places -responsibility for the crime upon Greece, and demands satisfaction in the form of half-a-million sterling to be paid at once, a complete official apology, a solemn funeral at Athens for the victims of the outrage, the death of those guilty of it, and the paying of full honours by the Greek to the Italian fleet. Then, with scarcely time to draw breath, the Italian Government despatches a naval unit, occupies Corfu, issues a five-hour ultimatum to Greece, and as soon as the very inadequate notice expires proceeds

to shell the place, taking life and inflicting heavy damage. This summary action is pursued in the face of an eager willingness on the part of Qreeoe.to accept a responsibility not proven, and to carry out most of the demands made, while evincing a frank anxiety to have the matter thoroughly investigated with a view to final adjudication by the League of Nations, of which both disputants are members. , Italy's hasty and arbitrary violence would be incomprehensible were there not good

grounds for believing it to be inspired by malice aforethought: It is to be feared that, in the massacre of her official mission, she has found welcome occasion for giving effect to a design long cherished. Whatever her motive, she has certainly met outrage with outrage, and, supposing Greece to be guilty of murder, outHeroded Herod. But the outrage that. Italy has committed is not merely against Greece. It is an insane blow at the peace of Europe. The shelling of Corfu is tantamount to international brigandage. According to a treaty of 1864, in which all the leading Powers of Europe were involved, the lonian Islands were removed from British protection and ceded to

Greece. It was then stipulated that two of the islands, Corfu and Paxo, should continue to enjoy the neutrality hitherto attributed to the whole group it be permissible to describe as a group a congeries ', of islands having no geographical unity and little political affinity. When the boundaries of Greece were delimited afresh in 1912 this relationship and neutrality were left unimpaired. Italyfn belligerent violence is, consequently, aimed not at Greece only, serious as her situation becomes by this seizure, of a strategic point on her Adriatic confine. It threatens to reach Albania and

Serbia also. Britain herself is con-

cerned; as, indeed, is every other naval Power represented in the Mediterranean. The breach of neutrality is flagrant * in the extreme. It menaces every adjacent State, and is calculated to affect the whole of Danubian r Europe immediately and all Western civilisation ultimately. It is serious enough that it stirs again bad blood between two habitual foes for Italy, long coveting complete control of the island outposts of the Adriatic, and Greece, always naturally apprehensive lest her western shore should be laid open to attack by their passing under Italian rule, have eyed each other across them with mutual disfavour. But the trouble goes wider far. This deed can go unreprimanded with no lighter heart than could Germany's violation of Belgian neutrality in 1914 be condoned. No nation valuing its self-respect can stand by with folded arms when such reckless disregard of international covenants*

i occurs and, unless a way be quickly found to abate 'i the peril, AngloItalian relations will be strained to the breaking point,: ; arid? a new element of disruption be introduced amid that concert of Powers recently united to foster the* world's peace. The way to restoration of harmony, or • at : least of quiescence, lies through the League of Nations. In this, the view of Greece is sound and Mussolini's assertion—that the quarrel concerns nobody but Italy and Greece— unreasonable The action of his . Government is a flouting oi! the principles of the League it has covenanted to uphold. By articles to which both Powers have, set their seals, they have declared the friendly right of each member of the League to bring to the notice of it; 9 Assembly or Council any circumstance affecting international \ relations which threatens to disturb international peace or good understanding. They are also parties to an express agreement that, if there should arise between them any dispute likely to lead to a rupture, they will submit the matter either to arbitration or to inquiry by the Council, and have agreed that in no case will they resort to war until three months after an award is given. For Italy to refuse to heed all protests from Greece and to proceed to war without more than a few hours' notice let alone three months after an adjudication by other—is a tragic defection from high principles solemnly asserted., \ .Yet that action

docs i not make the ..' League's action impossible or, even superfluous. | "Any war or, threat of. war, whether i immediately affecting any members lof the League -.\ or not, is hereby | declared a matter of concern to the whole- League; and the League shall take any action that may. be deemed, wise and effectual to safeguard the peace ;of nations." So rims the covenant. On its ; own , initiative, apart altogether from any approach by either party, the League may take cognizance of Italy's harsh and arbitrary aggression. Bitter experience proves—the pistol shots at Serajevo ring still in the world's memory—that the- Near East is a veritable powder magazine, and that fools who would drop matches in it must be brouerht to book speedily for the world's security. For Britain, the course is abundantly clear. As one of the guarantors of Corfu's neutrality she cannot stand idly by while it is violated.