EUROPEAN POLICY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19905, 27 September 1926, Page 9

EUROPEAN POLICY

NEW NATIONAL GROUPINGS. ANGLO-ITALIAN PACT DISCUSSED. (Press Association- By Telegraph—Copyright.) LONDON, September 25. (Received Sept. 25, at 5.5 p.m.) The Daily Telegraph’s Rome correspondent states: “According to an important personage a treaty between Italy and Britain for mutual support on all questions concerning Mediterranean and general European policy will be suggested to Sir Austen Chamberlain at a meeting with Signor Mussolini, which the Italian press regards as certain to be held very shortly. Signor Mussolini is stated to be influenced mainly by the prospect of an effective understanding between Germany and France. According to the informant Italy would be bound to take into account the attitude of France towards Austria's annexation by Germany, which the Treaty of Versailles forbids, but which is already assumed to be possible in Rome. Such annexation would mean for Prance only the addition of 7,000,000 or 8,000,000 persons to Germany’s population, but to Italy it would moan that whereas she has 7.000. Austrians as neighbours there would henceforth be a population of 72.000. Germans on her frontier, and Germany’s frontier would be removed from Bavaria to Brenner. Thus, in place of a weak Austria, Italy would look across the frontier upon the might of Germany. Previously, Italy had taken for granted the support of France as well as of Poland and Czechoslovakia in her veto against annexation, based upon solemn treaty obligations, but if the now Franco-German understanding is achieved one of the pillars of Italian policy will have been undermined. The informant added that it was only natural in that event that Italy would consider the possibility of a new grouping.”—A. and N.Z. Cable.