GAIN OR LOSS ?

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 9362, 17 April 1939, Page 4

GAIN OR LOSS ?

THE REAL QUESTION IS GERMANY'S ATTITUDE LIMITS TO CONCESSIONS “The real question,” asserts tin; “Manchester Guardian,” “is whether Germany is more likely to gain or to lose by backing Italy’s present demands on France. The Nazi leaders must be well aware that there are limits to tlie concessions which can be extracted from the democratic Powers by threats, and that to support Italy’s claims in this respect may lead to war. A war on behalf of Italy would hardly be popular with the German people. Herr Hitler sai l that if Italy has a war, Germany will be at her side. This was a loudsounding declaration, but he could hardly have said less, and he did not try to justify Italy’s claims and certainly gave her no encouragement. On the basis of this speech Signor Mussolini may ask for some shares in the Suez Canal and some concessions at Jibouti; but unless he has further private assurance—which, of course, is quite probable—he can hardly ask for Tunis, Corsica and Nice with the same irresponsible glee as the Italian deputies.”