A ROYAL VISIT

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18067, 19 April 1933, Page 3

A ROYAL VISIT

ITALY & MEDITERRANEAN POLICY OF PENTRATION The visit of the King and Queen of Italy to Egypt is not being treated generally as a matter of any profound political significance, states a bulletin issued by Arthur Davies of the League of Nations. In 1927 King Fuad paid a visit to Italy, ami it is natural and proper as ajj act of courtesy that this visit should b 4 repaid. That seems to be the general attitude of mind that is being expressed bv those who concern themselves with international affairs. At a time when the League of Nations is faced in the Manchurian question with tho greatest crisis in its career, when the success of the Disarmament Conference still hangs in the balance, when experts and statesmen alike are engaged in preparing a road through the tangled labyrinth of economic nationalism to the larger measures of international cooperation which it is hoped the World Economic Conference will bring, it is not surprising that the mere visit of one monarch to another does not occupy much space in the columns of the press. Yet, though it may he possible to exaggerate the importance of this event taken by itself those who have been following the Italian expansion-move-ment in the Near East and in Northern Africa would uofe.be inclined Jo neglect br- tiefitHe-'liie ‘symbolic value of what is happening to-day. . Till now no Europejui sovereign has set foot on Egyptaiii soil since the.-May when the Suez Canal was opened and the Khedive Is-

mail celebrated the event by lavishly entertaining several of them. It is well known that Italy has increasingly cultivated a grievance because she was not entrusted with any of the mandates allotted to various “advanced nations” when the League of Nations was formed. She has adopted a definite policy of economic expansion all round the Mediterranean. Italian Consuls are peculiarly active in pushing Italian interests anil Italian influence and prestige in all the countries to which they arc posted, and Italian traders are encouraged by tho Home Government and Italian oanks to extend their business in every possible* way. j In Egypt, whose historic relationship with Italy goes back with interruptions, it is true, to the days of tho Roman Empire, Italy possesses some very special advantages. The Italian colony is numerically smaller to none of the foreign settlements except the Greek, and the Italian seems to have in a more marked degree than any other foreigner the capacity of identifying himself with the Egyptians among whom lie lives. It is not suggested for a moment that there is anything wrong in this policy of penetration. It is to he observed, however, that it should he seen against tho background of Franeo-Italian tension. One of the chief European problems of the League of Nations is the reconciliation of the easily conflicting ambitions of France and Italy in the Mediterranean.-Tf statesmen—either French or Italian or as “honest brokers” of some other nation—could effect a real understanding, the foundations of European—and of .world —peace would be very much surer than they are.