Evening star., 1923-02-26
ITALY DENIES BID
FOR FRENCH PACT
Rome Government DiscIaims
Effort to Form Economic
Alliance With Paris.
MUTUAL AID PLAN SEEN
Italy Could Supply Workers for
Ruhr in Exchange for Raw
Materials.
BY EDGAR ANsEL MOWRER.

BY Cable to The star and Chicago Daily News.
Copyright, 1928.
ROME, February 26.-It is officially
denied in Rome that the schemes for
a continental economic and political
understanding which have been receiv-
ing much publicity both here and in
France are those of the Italian gov
ernment.
What these schemes are, how vast
in reach and how important, If true.
can be seen from the following de-
scription given by the Paris cor
respondent of the Rome Messagero:
Through an association of economic
interests France can give Italy the
coal and iron she needs. This asso-
citation can be made only upon the
basis of exchange of services. France
would give Italy raw materials and
Italy would give France labor. Hun
dreds of thousands of Italian workers
could be concentrated i'll the French
mineral basins. That means an in
crease in the production of wealth
which France cannot exploit alone.
That might also mean the solution Of
the problem Of the Ruhr.
Workers Needed in Ruhr.
'France having entered the Ruhr
district has met with paralysis.
Nothing moves. Production is at a
standstill. This colossal mechanism
must be put in motion and France
alone cannot do 1t. One hundred
thousand Italian workmen could give
decisive aid in transforming the oc-
cupation, still negative. into profit
for French industry. for the French
budget and for French resistance to
German threats"
While Italy denied that it favors
any such plan the chief opposition
to 1t comes from the French Associa-
tion of Steel Producers. In its
weekly bulletin this organization re-
Gently accused the Italian govern
ment of being illegal and declared
that serious relations with such
government were difficult.
The French government is entirely
satisfied to take advantage of the Italian
solidarity in the Ruhr district with
Premier Mussolini. for the latter de-
sires an understanding with France: in
which the French consider that they
have more to lose than to gain.
Italian denial constant negotiations are
going on between the two countries.
proof OF which. If proof is needed, is
found in a recent speech of the Italian
ambassador in Paris, in which he
praised the economic partnership be-
tween France and Italy.
Fear British Enmity.
Premier Mussolini has been seeking
in France an outlet for the surplus
Italian population and certain eco
nomic interchanges could be made
easy by tariff manipulation. However,
Mussolini's pro-French attitude, even
with its advantages. Is meeting with
increased hostility in Italy. Critics
note that the chief interest of Italy
as a poor country Is to buy cheaply
from Germany, and hence is opposed
TO the Ruhr occupation. They note
also that Great Britain can seriously
embarrass the italian government by
asking it to begin paying interest on
its war debt. and If it desires can
deal formidable blow at the value of
the Ira. The critics point out that
Italy has already offended Great Brit
ain by upholding France in the orient
and may be made to pay dearly for
these acts.