Evening star., 1928-11-18


T HERE is reason to believe that
France and Italy, after year
of slow and painstaking nego-
tiationS, are about to conclude a
treaty of friendship and arbi-
tration, marking a satisfactory settle
ment of their principal outstanding
| differences.
This treaty, when and if concluded,
will be ar event of first Importance. 1t
should lead to speedy stabilization OF
the Balkans, the Near East and Central
Europe, where Franco-Italian rivalry
long has been contributing cause to
restlessness. 1t should also pave the
way of affiliation of Italy with the
Franco-British entente.
| AS Great Britain already has an
| nounced that this entente also in a
sense includes Germany, it is evident
| that another step is being taken toward
realization of the old dream of united
Europe. A Franco-Italian friendship
! treaty, followed by new reparationS
| settlement with Germany and evacu-
| alton of the Rhineland by the allies,
would seemingly provide a working
basis in the near future for four
| power entente-Great Britain, France,
| Germany and Italy.
| Significance of Treaty.
The significance of the impending
treaty is emphasized when the Franco
| Italian situation of two and a half
| years ago is recalled. The two powers
| were rivals in the Mediterranean. the
! Balkans and the Near East, each with
| clan of small, belligerent henchmen
| The Italian press was beiittling and in
sulting France and threatening fOrcible
| seizure of the French territories OF
Nice, Savoy Corsica, Tunis and Syria
Anti-Fascist italian emigres in France
we're plotting against the Italian Fascist
state and italian police, in disguise
we're celebrating intricate counter
plots on French soil.
Incident followed incident. French
citizens in Italy were brutah7ed. French
consulates were surrounded by howllnE
mobs Troops were finally moved OF
both frontiers before the perilouS ten
sion subsidized.
For more than a year afterward thu
situation continued strained. Ital,
seized control of Albania Franc,
backed Jugoslavia. italian diplomac,
operated by sensational thrusts ant
blows. France silently but deftly fendeC
and parried Italy, feeling sure o
Great Britain's support, maintained
vast pretensions.
British Move Noted.
But the British Conservative govern
ment was slowly moving toward re
newal of the entente with France. Tn
boldness of certain Italian moves, no
tably in Albania, alarmed it. Thank
to its persuasive mediation, an attemp
was inaugurated to join negotiation
between France and Italy.
The world hears much now and tnel
about how diplomacy is always prepar
ing for war. A large part of the publi
seem to realize insufficiently that tn
chief task of diplomacy is to prepar
and safeguard peace. Almost yea
ago, the new French Ambassador, M. d'
Beaumarchais, was sent to Rome ex
pressly to open concrete negotiation
which now seem about to be crowne'
with success.
Undoubtedly the French financial an
political rehabilitation wrought b
Premier Poincare had much to do wit
this success. The Kellogg pact, maxim
aggression henceforth almost impossible
was perhaps another element. The tw
countries have common interest Il
the new reparationS settlement and
common interest in preventing uniol
of Austria and Germany. But aboy
all seems to have been the recen
Franco-British entente. which. by it
persuasive effect upon the Italians