Evening star., 1928-04-15
TTALYS DIPLOMACY
/ ST|RS ALL EUROPE
Capitals Note Many Visits of
Statesmen to Rome and
Seek Explanation.
BY PAUL SCOTT MowRER,

Ey Cable to The Stsr\ and CHICAGO Daily
News. Copyright le@S.
PARIS, April l4,--Ttaly in the past
few DAYS has been hotbed OF diplo-
matte oiiilculty. Not in years have
there been so many ccmingS and goings
OF statesmen as are centered around the
6ominan: personality OF Dictator Mus
sol;ni at the present time. All Europe
Is looking on and all Europe is COM
menting. ccniecturing and speculatins
o. its significance.
In Milan a few days ago Premier
MuSSolini had Iona and important Sc
Crst conferences with the foreien NM
is,erS cf Greece, Turkey and Hungary.
Returnine to Rome he saw S. Parker
Gilbert. the Dawes plan agent, and the
German finance minister. The Polish
foreisn minister is in Rome and now
the Lithuanian minister 10 Germany
and the Rumanisn vice foreign minister
Gre said to be vovaging toward Rome.
Negotiations With France.
At the same time Italy is conducting
q whole series OF momentouS negotia-
tions with France. The italian eX-
PLANTATION of all this political business
is simple. Italy is everybody's honest
friend and an essential factor in peace
opposed To all hegemonieS Italy is an
active element in international politics,
q European center" with dynamic
foreign policy.
But outside Italy the Interpretation
OF these events is more complicated.
Some accuse Dictator Mussolini Of try
ing 20 ruin the League of Nations and
make Rome 3 greater European capital
than Geneva. Some fear he is trying
% constitute vast block for revision
Of frontiers Some 'thinl he is bent
on disrupting the little entente, pre-
venting the consolidation of peace. and
running French influence in eastern
Europe and the Near East. His exileo
adversary. Si2nor Nitti, even charges
him with plotting war few years
hence
Doubtless the visits of Mr.. Gilbert
and the German finance minister at
this time were a coincidence. II is true
furthermore. that Premier Mussolini is
the only important foreign minister in
Europe who does not attend the periodic
gatherings of statesmen in Geneva. .
hence those who have business With
him must go to Rome.
More Yet TO BE Told.
But this is far from the whole story
The truth is that French influence in
eastern and southeastern Europe really
does scent To be weakening. Since the
locarno treaties. France has been show
ing less and less of a disposition to
support her more distant continental
allies on any and all occasions. For
eign Minister Brands attitude at
Geneva in the recent affair of the con-
tTabsnd machine guns and in the affair
cf the Hungarian "optante dispute" was
big disappointment 10 Rumania, Jugo-
slavia and CzechoSiovakia. while Poland
feels slightly nervous regarding whittier
the Franco-German reapprochment will
ultimately lead.
italy, on the other hand. is acting
everywhere with great energy. often in
Q contradictory sense. and has every one
guessing and every one slightly nervous.
Following Dictator Mussolini's recent
declarations favoring revision OF the
Hungarian frontiers, the states desiring
q general revision OF treaties as well
as the states opposed thereto all have
been seeking Italian favor and support
But what does italy itself want? The
answer seems 10 be first. prestige and
second To bring diplomatic pressure on
France and especially on JugoSiavia.
Contemporary Italy considers itself
great rising world power, with predom-
fnant interests in the Adriatic and the
Mediterranean II has an alliance with
Spain and enjoys considerable support
fTcn Great Britain. which tends to use
power on the one hand and Russian
and Slav power on the other.
Fascist Outlook on europe.
The Fascist doctrine considers Eu-
rope unstable and its future uncertain
and that Italys role, therefore. Is one
OF vigilance and ceaseless activity In
order to take advantage Of whatever
good or I'll may bsfall. Italy must be
pr sEent everywhere" But more partic-
ulariy Italy Is preoccupied Just nov with
fts quarrel with Jugoslavia for control
Of the Adriafic and predOminance in
the Balkans Tension Is still keen. The
friendship pact prolonged In January
for six months expires in July Italy
wants Jugoslavis TO ratify before that
date the profitable Eettuno conventions.
Iuaoslavis refuses unless Italy gives
formal resgsurances regarding the Itai-
tan policy in Albania This Italy re-
fuses snd Jugogiayia has just brought
tvo new submarines into the Adristic.
1tsiy. accordingly. Is trying to Isolate
.Jueoeisyia d1plomatieslly as II ~ say.
sfWs.1E OUT Don't push matters too
fer or yc9 will SEE where you will be-"
Italy has thus concluded an alliance
wfth Hungary and sent Hungary arms
Fifty Italian deputies are about 10 make
. friendship visit TO Budapest Italy
has formed cIose relations with Bull
Ra.ls. Albania Is practically an Italian
protectOrate The remaining possible
links Cf the chain around JugoSla9sa
are Runaauia and Greece. Rumania
wants Italian support against Russia
and Italian aid to settle her outstano-
ing differences with Hungary. Mu32olini
is talking and bargaining. Greece wants
security from Italy itself and support
against JugogIayia's IS ambitions toward
sSionlki To obtain these. Greece seems
ready ~ forget the Italian lombard
fnsnt Of Corfu and is ready 10 abandon
tts claim 30 Southern Albania ~ the
Island ~ Rhodes snd the Dooecsneee.
Tao years sgo Turkeys chief fear
vas an invasion by Itaiy promoted b.
Great Britain. But now Grest Britain
h SEEKING 70 win Turkey against Rus
s.a Itasy. accordingly, b. trying 10 re-
store friendship with Turkey 10 make q
commercial treaty and possibly even .
non aggression pact and 10 reconcile
Turkey and CreeSe-aii by way Of an
sdonsonsI warning 20 Jugo6laYis.
But Why Is Poland courting R0ns2
4 few months ago th@ Lithuanian dic-
fsbo1, Wsldenaaras. T'oland's great little
foe. .islged MusSoliBi and claimed 70
bsye founo encouragement
Poland wants 70 prove the contrary
Moreover, Poland sno Italy have COM
mon Interests IN Runs nis, Turkey, and
Esen In Persia, against Russia Britain
Germany and France ell aFe watching