Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-29
BY FRANK H. SIMONDS.

II was a singularly unkind turn O.
fate that made the Grandi excur.
sion to the United States coincide
i with the crisis in Manchuria Tit
constant stream of battle new!
from Asia has served to completely dis
tract American attention from the
prospectus of European peace which
the italian visit was intended to eStab-
dish. Mr.. Stimson has found it difficult
TO give the impression Of impending
European disarmament while reports OF
armed collision in Manchuria flowed in
Moreover, under the surface the
whole italian affair had an element OF
Onreality Of which even the visitors
themselves plainly were aware. The
reason for the visit was plain: A series
of recent events have served to render
Italy isolated and impotent in Euro
pean affairs. Precisely as the British
we're the financial victims of the Ger
man diplomatic operations of last
Spring, the Italians were the political
victims. The pound sterling went of
The gold standard and the Italian for
elgn policy went off the rails for the
same reason.
When the Austro-German tariff I'M
Ion was announced, France took it as a
declaration of war She smashed the
Creditanstallt in Vienna, starting the
long series of events which eliminated
in German bankruptcy France also
compelled Hungary to dismiss its pro-
italian premier and to make terms with
Paris. In word, in an area where
Italy had been building up an anti
French political combination, French
money power suddenly became dom
anant. When, as a consequence of the
general financial upheaval Hungary
haa to ask France for loan. all Mus
Eolln1s Central European maneuverS
came down in heap.
Found Herself Isolated.
Again, Italy has tried often to reach
some agreement with London. But
Labor governments are anti-Fascist
and the Tory tend to be. If not pro-
French. at least realistic. Grand went
to the London Naval Conference hop
ang to associate himself with Britain
and the United States against France
and Tardieu outplayed him. There
was a flicker of hope in Rome when
Hoover issued his moratorium and
France opposed. But this hope was
dashed when France smashed Germany
an spite OF the American intervention.
The result of these complicated DO
ht1cal maneuverings has been that in
recent months Italy has found herself
entirely isolated. Also, economically
and financially, Italy is passing
through very grave crisis, such as
always has been accompanied by in
creased dissatisfaction with the con-
trolling political regime. The founda-
ton OF the MuSSolini power is the ma
t1onal conviction that previous parlia-
mentary rule had resulted in the enor-
NOUS diminution of italian prestige in
Europe. Fascism settled down to the
task Of acquiring for Italy a place in
kN h. T-y--
fral Europe she tried to draw Ru-
mania away from the Little Entente.
she tried to play the German game of
treaty revision and at the same time
she hirted with Russia In the mat
ter Of disarmament she tried to stand
with the British, But, not a little be-
cause OF the economic depression. all
her political operations have led to
complete failure.
Today in Europe money is the single
thlng that counts and only France has
money. Rumania, Hungary and Aus
ira have gone on the French dole.
The British situation is such that Lon
don has already given clear proof of
ats purpose to work with, not against.
Paris and, In fact to stay out of Eu-
rope just as far as possible.
Confronts French Money.
Finally Russia is up against the gen.
eral depression. The crisis in the
Soviet fortunes is not less acute than
in the Italian. Under cover a consid-
cradle negotiation has been in progress
between Paris and Moscow and the
Reds are at the moment in no mood
for any adventure. Thus, wherever
Mussclini turns he finds French money
exercising an influence sufficient to
paraly2e Italian efforts.
In this situation America was the
only remaining hope Mussolini pat
emily calculated that it might be pos
sible to exploit to his profit the desire
OF the Hoover administration for
successful disarmament conference
No one knew better than the Italians
that nothing can come out of the Ge-
neva Conference. The Fascists are in
teillgent enough to perceive like all
other Europeans that in the present
mood of the French and their allies
disarmament is out of the reckoning,
that military and naval forces are more