ANGLO-ITALIAN HITCH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23069, 21 June 1938, Page 8

ANGLO-ITALIAN HITCH

Two months have passed since the Anglo-Italian agreement was signed in Rome, with the important proviso that it would not become operativo until "the settlement of the Spanish question," by which was understood a withdrawal of Italian volunteers and not necessarily the end of all fighting within Spain itself. But the civil war still drags on, Signor Mussolini is deeply committed to General Franco's cause, and is unwilling to withdraw Italian military support, short of victory. Now, therefore, afraid lest the Rome agreement should be stillborn, he is reported to have asked the British Government to modify the condition. The statement that Britain has declined this request is no doubt correct because Italian withdrawal was cleai-ly stated as a "pro-requisite" to the coming into force of the whole agreement. Certainly the pact contained many other provisions of considerable importance but, from the British point of view, the undertaking on Spain was the core of the whole matter. The chief threat to European peace at present comes from the Peninsula and an agreement seeking to apply Mr. Chamberlain's policy of appeasement would be-heavily depreciated if the effort to reduco that danger were abandoned. Signor Mussolini may have (and probably has) carried out his part of the agreement in several other spheres, but the British Government cannot abandon the main position. As it is Mr. Chamberlain runs the risk of losing his diplomatic gains and some political prestige, but he would lose more, and so would the cause of peace, if he yielded this essential point. Italy rushed into the Spanish business and may now be finding it difficult to extricate herself. That is her problem, however, and one whoso solution must precede the coming / into force of the pact,. J