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


wv on American soil he will, or
his own statement, be thu
happiest man alive, for N
will be realizing a dream. 1t will no
be his first visit to the United States
but the memory OF the first excursion
has remained with him as the basis o.
an ever-growing determination to come
again. When last saw him at Geneva
in the midst OF the fuss and futility Of
an economic conference which came
20 nothing, he said to me:
Beyond all else / would like to see
your country again. My first visit was
the happest excursion Of my life and
the pleasantest part of 1t was the time
/ spent on Long Island. What coun-
try and what a life!"
AS foreign minister. Grandi has en-
joyed beyond challenge two distinctions.
He has been both the youngest and the
most charming of the statesmen di-
recting the foreign relations of CONT
mental countries. In Geneva he gained
the title OF the play boy of the Eu-
ropean chancellories," not because he
was regarded lightly. but because he
brought to his task that spirit of youth
which is the basic appeal OF Fascism it
self. Even now. after years OF con-
ferences and conflicts, he has hardly
crossed the border Vine OF 40 and in
manner and charm he IS still far from
betraying even the relatively slight
burdens Of four decades.
Learned american" English.
It was as an assistant to Volpi that
Grand came to America first, when the
italian debt settlement was made. Then
he was young, inexperienced and only
on the threshold Of q career which
in less than 10 years has taken him all
over Europe and made him q distin-
guished figure in all the international
meetings in which Italy has partici-
pated. Always he has been recog-
nized as the "fair-haired boy" of FaS-
cism, the favorite of Mussolini.
The visit to America started Grandi
upon the study. not Of English, but of
american. When he came here frSt he
had not q single word of our tongue.
At the London Conference two years
ago Tardieu. who also learned his Eng
lish in America, as high commissioner
during the World War, challenged his
italian colleague to duel, not with
fapiers or pistols, but with the Ameri-
can language, and the duel was fought
ct the tremendous banquet which the
Pilgrims gave to the American dele
gates to the Naval Conference
In that duel the honors were with
Grandi, for although his accent was
sttll Latin and his diction inferior to
that Of the French prime minister, the
charm and courage with which he
charged against the formidable fortifi-
cations Of the Anglo-Saxon phrase won
universal applause. Moreover, when
''Uncle Arthur" Henderson, then for
eign secretary and now leader of the
Labor party In succession to Mcdonald,
followed, the diners were convulsed to
notice that Henderson. succumbing to
the charm of Grand, unconSciously
added final "e's" to his words and gave
to them an unmistakable Roman en-
pfasis.
France Hens in Italy.
GrAndi not only finds the United
States the land of his dreams. but he
is, like the majority Of his countrymen,
eager to build bridges across the At
lantic to bring about all possible asso-
citation OF American and Italian poll
icieS. When Secretary Stimson was in
Rome last Summer he found FasciSm
not only prodigal in its hospitality, but
eager in its endeavors to find common
ground between the American policy OF
disarmament and the Italian purpose to
achieve parity with France
Italy Is country of a., 00O, 900 of peo-
pie, having displaced France as the
third among continental powers in pop
ulation. It has all the aspirations of q
great power and none Of the physical
circumstances. In money, natural re-
sources, foreign possessions, in every
thing but numbers and spirit, italy
finds herself inferior to her Latin
neighbor.
In the Mediterranean. which is ira
ditionally Roman sea- Italy finds her.
self surrounded by the net of French
naval power. which stretches from Tou-
Ion, by Corsica, to Bizerta, in Tunis
All the North African shore from Cape
Bon to the Muluya River is held by
France. In Tunis the Italian colony
which long outnumbered the French
two and even three to one, is now being
ruthlessly asSimilated In the Adriatic,
Jugoslavia, the ally of France. is rising
as naval power. thanks to French
loans and navy yards, and at Cattaro
French-built submarines watch the track
of Italian commerce from Trieste and
Genoa.
Possible Allies Spurn Italy.
Not only have the French acquired
all the best of the old Roman colonial
estate in North Africa, but they hold
the hinterland Of the Italian colony oil
Tripoli and thus cut the old caravan
routes to the heart of Africa and block
the Italian dream of a TranS-Saharar
railway. In Asia Minor Italy ha:
been forced to abandon her dream of a
sphere of interest at Adalia France
still holes Beirut and Damascus
Everywhere the Italian turns he find.
France before him.
In the years since MuSsolini came
TO power FaScism has been seeking al
ally in all directions. She has applied
at Berlin, but the Germans have con.
tinued to distrust the ally who in theil
view. deserted them at the outset o,
the World War italian opposition t
the AnschlusS and the violent Italian.
ization of the German population o.
the Southern Tyrol have served to in.
fenSify the Teutonic resentment Thu