Evening star., 1928-11-04

The fact that Italy was an ally in 1914
and yet became an enemy in 1915 still
dominates German memory.
Italy on Side Lines.
Thus at Geneva Italy is condemned
to stand aside, while France. Britain
and Germany occupy the center of the.
stage and reach decisions which are
controlling for Europe. italian hatred
of the League of Nations has its origin
here, rather than in any particular hos
tlIlty to peace or to an international
society to serve the cause of peace.
Poland and Czechoslovakia play parts at
Geneva far more conspicuous than the
part of Italy.
Moreover, since France, Poland and
Czechoslovakia are bound together by
common fears of Germany and these
fears have been expressed in alliances.
this combination of military as well as
diplomatic influence is always an OBJ
stacle. Jugoslavia invariably and Ru-
mania frequently go with their Czech
partner of the Little Entente in support
OF France. Belgium, with the same
German preoccupation, is united to
France by her dangers and necessities.
Failing an alliance with Britain or
Germany, Italian diplomacy has sought
to create an association of small powers
comparable to the Little Entente. But
in such a combination Hungary is the
one available ally of considerable size
and italian support of Hungary in
stantly brings all three of the Little
Entente states not only closer together
but closer to France. Treaties with
Albania and Greece, an entente between
Bulgaria and Italy, serve TO give the
appearance of prestige, but they do not
give the reality of power.
Paris Takes Limelight.
Meantime it is Paris and not Rome
which draws the attention of the world
The Kellogg pact was signed in the
French capital, the Anglo-French naval
agreement was negotiated in Paris, the
program for the revision of the Dawes
plan is discussed in Paris British
troops maneuver with French on the
Rhine and British and French air fleets
play together in the south of France
Finally. the French press, with great
adroitnesS, proceeds to read into the
naval agreement the proof of the re-
newal OF the old pre-war Anglo-French
entente.
The result is profound disquiet and
disturbance in Rome. The old resent
ment at being ignored, at being treated
like an inferior, which provoked such
passionate bitterness during and after
the Paris Peace Conference, is flaming
out again.
Physiological1y, therefore, the situation
in Italy resembles that in Germany in
the critical years before the World War.
There is much the same sense of per-
secution, the same conviction that treat
ment incompatible with the true great
ness of the nation is being constantly
meted out to it. And the bitterness is
concentrated against France, because
France is in all Italian eyes the natural
rival. France holds the African shore,
France is the ally of Jugoslavia and
through the Little Entente blocks Ital-
ian influence in the middle of Europe
The French fleet is at Toulon and BIZ
Zerta; Corsica has become the base of
the vast French air fleet. The French
army. joined to the Serb, confronts Italy
with the danger of war on two fronts.
Sahara Railway Factor.
Again, the French project to construct
the TranSSaharan railway means for
Italy the provision of an overland route
by which the black troops of west and
equatorial Africa can be brought to the
shores facing Italy. And while Fascismo
with admirable purpose and determina-
ton undertakes to develop the crowded
areas of Italy, France is building a new
empire in Africa and rapidly assimi-
lating Italian immigrants The re-
sources of. Italy in man power are be-
ing absorbed to serve French ends. Tu-
mis-, Algiers, Bona and Oran are devel-
oplng with almost Americanlike rapidity
into bases of the future greatness of
France. And Beirut, at the other end
of the Mediterranean. is also develop
ing in the same fashion.
There are 100000 of French and
100000 of Italians. Actually the Ital-
ians have already won the race in num-
bers, but the French control half of
Africa with population of nearly 40
600, 600 more, and valuable areas in Asia
with more than 100000 of inhabi-
tantS, while colonial and imperial italy
holds only Tripoli and the relatively
poor and exiguouS territories around
the circle of Abyssinia.
To exaggerate the DANCE of this Ital-
ian state of mind is perhaps easy, but
the reality of the peril is plain. Fascis-
mo has accomplished much in domestic
organization, even more in rousing ma
tional pride and patriotic emotion. But
In the end it has come squarely I'D
against the same obstacles which proved
lnsuperable to its predecessors. If num-
oerS and organization make Italy q
great power in Europe, she still lacks
all the foundations of world power
outside of the Continent-and all these
positions are occupied and firmly held.
(Copyright. 1927