Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-03
|TALO-SLAV STATUS
AGAIN DISCUSSED.
Failure TO Renew Five Year
Term of Friendship Brings
Comment.
ny FREDERICK HOLLOWELL.

BY Radio to The Sn-r.
ROME. February 1.-THE failure to
renew the treaty of friendship between
italy and Jugo-Slavia, whose flve-ycar
term expired on January u. has served
70 bring again to the fore vigorous ana
Voluminous discussions concerning the
general state of the relations between
those two countries. And despite alarm
Est comments in the French semi Official
press, which have filtered through 10
Rome. there is a profcssedly strong
conviction here that whereas during the
whole life of the treaty there were
almost constant pickering between
Rome and Belgrade. now that the docu-
ment has died a natural death. the re.
lations between the two capitals are
becoming almost downright frlenoiy.
all of which goes to prove, according TO
the Italian viewpoint. that there are
much too many treaties in existence
and that a real feeling Of friendship or
lack Of it between nations has nothing
to do with offlcial documents. However,
there Is no sign of Italy's intention not
to substitute the expired pact with some
sort of treaty whenever the time seems
ripe for such a move, but there is an
obvious disposition here to pursue a
policy of Watohful waiting until the
new Jugo-Slav regime not only proves
itself capable of bringing comparative
order out of the longstanding chaos
across the Adriatic. but also shows some
definite signs as to its orientation as
regards foreign policies. Whatever hap
pens. it is not at all likely that the
old treaty will simply be renewed, as
such. but If and when any new docu-
ment is signed it will be completely new
and will cover many points not touched
1ln0n nv the PXnired nRct
Agreement Necessary.
Il is fairly certain that if Jujoslavia
signs another treaty with italy she will
have TO recognize the actual state OF al
fairs in Alabama and there will have
to be a general agreement concerning
the treatment of the Slav-speaktng
population In the northeastern prov
inceS coded to Italy as result OF the
World War. Both these points may
constitute a rather bitter pill for Jugo-
slavia because lots OF bad blood that
has been stirred between the two coun-
tries during the past few years can
easily be traced to Jugoslavia resent
ment against the vigorous Italianiza-
ton program in the Istrian provinces
and against Italian hegemony over
Albania.
italy feels she holds a strong card irf
retaining complete liberty Of action and
refusing to sign any document OF friend
ship so long as JugoSlavia may be un-
willing to make concessions on these
two cardinal points. Moreover. Italy
by pursuing a Stand-offish policy
sibeit with the public expressing benevo-
lent goodwill toward the triune king
dom-is believed to be playing an ex-
tremely Shrewd game in that 1t may
be possible thereby to wean Jugoslavia
away from too intimate contact with
the Quai D'Orsay.
All comments in the Italian press this
week, without exception. have made
point of emphasizing that Rome and
Belgrade would have come to friendly
terms long ago if it had not been for
the fact that between Rome and Bel
grade lies Paris"-this phrase inferen-
TALLY carrying more than mere geo.
graphical Significance. To show how
Paris Lies" between Rome and Belgrade,
Italian commentators have not been
slow to point out that crepe hanging"
comments by Paris newspapers have
been completely at variance with the
actual state of affairs, as reflected by
both Jugoslavia and the italian press
the only ones directly concerned
Clearer in Italy.
WIldCSNcT may DC Lie pIOSpCCJS 1OI
new treaty with Jugoslavia, there is no
doubt that so far as Italy Is concerned
the general atmosphere is much clearer
than it has been for long time In
the first place Italy has been apparently
sincerely interested in seeing the sue
cess Of the royal dictatorship from the
viewpoint of pure political doctrine and
for that reason, as much as perhaps any
other, political leaders here seem kindly
disposed toward their transatlantic
neighbor.
If King Alexander can succeed in
bringing real coordination among the
various racial elements in Jugoslavia,
and IL he can be induced to believe at
least that friendship with France does
not necessarily preclude a friendship
with Italy, then renewal of the formal
friendly relations with Italy will be pos
sible, and mutually desirable. Mean
while, however, Italy will probably con-
tinue to maintain an attitude of friendly
aloofness. Before even the opening of
formal negotiations for new treaty
Italy wants visible proof that Jugo-
slavia has abandoned her ambitious
Balkanic program which allegedly char
acterized the first few years Of her ex-
istence. Italian leaders profess to see
that Jugoslavia's internal crisis was
directly traceable to that country's pur-
Suance of the expansionist program I'M