Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-25

| the decisive voice in the World Court,
The Bruening cabinet has sought to
! increase German Italian friendship,
! but the interests of the two countries
so far have proved conflicting, despite
| the basic dislike Of France which binds
| the two nations. In the Danube area
italy had found herself faced always
| by the Little Entente, which Is one
| of the pillars Of French hegemony. All
attempts to detach Rumania have
broken down before the power Of the
| French purse. The close association
Of Rome and Budapest came to an
abrupt end when Bethlen was obliged
to resign and his successor KaTolyi was
compelled to apply to the Bank OF
France for loans.
Nor have the Italians been more
successful in London. Labor naturally
has been totally unfriendly to the Fas-
cist regime. The Tories, when in
power, have advocated renewal OF
the Anglo-French entente cordiale.
Through ail the years of its domino
ton, therefore, Fascism has been I'M
able to find a sure ally In Europe and
its role has been inconsiderable in all
international gatherings and least inn
portant at Geneva, where French in
fiuence in the League has been in
creasingly potent.
America offers italy q welcome
chance to escape from a situation OF
relative isolation and unimportance.
And the American policy Of naval limi-
tation and army reduction falls in to-
tally with Italian purposes. Not that
the Italians have any basic desire to
disarm. On the contrary, Fascist Italy
is devoted to a dream of imperialism
which envisages new place in the sun
for young Italy, which few decades
hence is to contain $4,000, 900 and even
SO, 000. 900 of people, against the French
40,o00,000, and by virtue Of its num-
bers and power is to claim a revision OF
territories.
But this italy which is looking to the
future with confidence and unrestrained
ambition finds itself today limited by a
lean purse and q restricted supply of
food and raw materials. While it
claims parity with France on the sea.
1t cannot afford to transform that
parity into fact unless the French fleet
is not only limited, but reduced. What
Italy therefore hopes for the Hoover
plan Of naval reduction Is a limitation
set at such low tonnage figures as to
place parity with France within the
reach Of Italian funds.
The American and Italian policies of
parity are identical We desire parity
with Britain. but we want to attain it
without having to spend $1,000, 000, 900
in naval construction. Italy wants
parity with France on the same terms.
But the British insist upon maintain
ing fleet equal to the French and
Italian navieS, and unless the French
fleet Is limited and even reduced we
shall have to spend the 81 ,000, 600, 900,
and Italy will not get parity at all, be-
cause she cannot afford the cost.
Arms Offer Is Conditional
Italy. the United States and Great
Britain, then, all are interested in
bringing about the reduction of French
naval strength. For all three countries
1t would represent an enormous gain.
We should have parity with Britain
cheaply, Britain could maintain the
two-power standards in Europe inexpen-
sively. Italy could attain parity with
France. Of course, there is an obvious
paradox in the Italian situation, for
Italy is not interested in disarmament
to reduce the dangers of war, but to
diminish the power of France, but this
does not prevent cooperation alike
with the British and Americans. And
Germany shares the same feelings in
respect to the French army.
Grandi's visit to the United States
represents new adventure of Fascist
policy toward equality with France, not
merely on the naval side, but politically
as well. Grandi will bring to the
President Mussolini'S assurance that at
Geneva Fascist diplomacy will stand
with American in all efforts to bring
about reduction Of naval and military
forces, but with a single proviso that
italian strength shall remain unmodi-
NED up to the point where there is
parity between France and Italy afioat
and ashore.
Nations May Battle at Farley.
Great Britain, Germany, Italy and
the United States thus may appear on
one side and France on the other at
the disarmament conference. That is
the Italian hope, that is the German
calculation, that also is the French
apprehension. And the Geneva Con-
ference itself may turn out to be a
battle of parities-Anglo-Am on
the ocean, Franco-Italian in the Med
iterranean, Franco-German on land.
Thus conference nominally convoked
to consider ornaments promises to be
one OF the most involved battles OF
diplomacy Of our time.
Meantime, Grandi's visit to America
marks an important stage in the pre-
conference negotiations. Grand comes
seeking parity with France and
week end on Long Island And il high
politics are back Of the Grand ex-
cursion, it is at least accurate to say
that there is no more sincere and en-
thusiastic pro-American on the Euro
pean Continent than the italian for
| eign secretary. Nor could any European
country be more fortunate in the per-
Sonality of representative sent abroad
TO fulfill a delicate and important mis-
sion. Official, unoficial and journal
istic Washington alike will find the
Italian statesman simple, unaffected
| and charming and his enthusiasm for
America will not be a newly acquired
diplomatic disguise. but genuine, long
standing and 100 per cent real
!