Evening star., 1923-05-13
britain AND ITALY
MAY YFORM ENTENTE
Observers in Europe See
General Trend Toward
New Alliance.
By Cable to The Star and New York Tribune.
Copyright. 1929.

By Cable to The Star and New York Tribune
Copyright 1929.
LONDON, May lis an entente
between England and Italy in the
course of development?
This question was prompted here
by the passage in Stanley Baldwin's
speech on the German reparations
note in which he referred to the
unnecessary precipitancy" of the
Franco Belgian reply thereto.
Regret Separate Reply.
1t is significant that this passage
referring to Italy. coincided with the
visit OF King George and Queen Mary
to Rome. which is the first visit paid
by British sovereigns in twenty
years. Hinting pointedly to the
Franco-Belgian combination, on one
side. that there might be a closer
Anglo-1talian cooperation on the
other. Baldwin said the attitude OF
the Italian government Is in genera
accord with that of the British gov.
ernment IN regretting separat,
Franco Belgian reply to Berlin. ant
Will follow the British lead in stat.
Ing its own view of the German
note"
There is no question that British
ana Italian policies toward the stu
alton arising from the occupation o.
the Ruhr are becoming closer ant
closer In proportion as the policies
or Britain and France have growr
London conference Of premiers il
December, Mussolini, though no
wholly adopting the British view
point, made II clear he opposed TAX
ing military sanctions.
Frances Policy Hit.
The subsequent developments in tn,
Ruhr situation have not Influenced
public opinion in Italy in the direc
tion of favoring the French policy
from the Italian point Of view ha.
been cutting off supplies of Goa
which were formerly coming in from
Germany as part of the reparations
Italy Is peculiarly dependent on ex
ternal supplies OF fuel. and the los
OF German reparation coal is severel,
felt. The Italian government alst
seems satisfied that payments OF repa
ratfons VIII not be attained by tn,
present French policy. and is there
fore swinging into line with British
views
RumOrs Dfacredited.
In general, closer relations woul,
be the natural sequence of concerted
Anglo-Italian action toward endinl
the Ruhr deadlock. The suggestion
In Partisan newspapers that ther,
are definite diplomatic reasons 70
the British royal visit to Rome hav,
been discredited in official circles her,
where it is pointed out that the tim
has passed when conversations o
monarchs could make political history
That the visit has any obscure politi
nlncance is secuted as much as tn
suggestion that there is any religion
significance in the British sovereign
courtesy call on the Pope. AT tn
same time it is not denied that tn
royal visit is intended to cemen
closer relations between the tw,
countries
Since the earlier idea, thrown ou
by Italy. looking toward formation
of so-called Latin bloc" fell down
there has been an increasing rap
prochement between England an,
Italy. both OF whom were left stand
ing alone by the seDarate policy pur
sued by France. There are no diff
ferences existing between the tw,
countries such as exist in Nortl
Africa and the Levant betweel
France and Italy, where the interest
or the Latin countries more or les
clash.
In some radical quarters here ther
is tendency to fight shy of an Italian
entente. due to the fascist move
ment, but I'm general the view 1
that Italian politics are her ow1
afair. and fascism would not prov
serious obstacle to the negotiatio,
OF the entente.