Evening star., 1933-03-20
The Mussolini Pact.

The Mussolini Pact.
Europe faces today yet another prof.
cot for the maintenance Of peace in
that nerve-racked and embittered
region of the world. 1t is the out
growth of the visit of Prime Minister
Macdonald to Rome, but the product
OF Premier Mussolini. Spurred by re-
cent threats and rumbles Of war on the
continent, II Duce comes forward with
Q proposal for a four-power pact be-
tween Great Britain, France, Italy and
Germany, which Is conceived "in the
spirit Of the Kellogg pact and the no.
force declaration" The underlying pur-
pose Is to bring about "an understand
ing ON larger political questions. with
the object of securing the collabora-
ton Of the four Western powers in an
effort to promote long period of
peace for Europe and the world"
Having laid the foundations OF this
nsw Locarno, Messrs. Macdonald and
Mussolin1 will submit the plan to
Premier Daladier Of France and Chan
cellor Hitler Of Germany in the hope
Of the eventual adhesion Of those gov
crnments to this practical scheme for
keeping the war dogs of Europe In
leash Messrs Daladier and Hitler may
be invited to Rome for series of per-
sonal conversations such as those be-
tween the British and Italian leaders
which paved the way to the present
enterprise.
Details are lacking So far only the
broad, general outlines are available.
But If, as apparently well-informed
dispatches from Rome already indicate.
Versailles treaty revision is the kernel
Of the "Mussolini pact" good deal Of
water is destined to ripple beneath the
bridges Of the Tiber and the Seine be-
fore the new European deal will emerge
into the sphere of actuality. Signor
Mussolini Is an avowed revisionist. So
6 Chancellor Hitler Prime Minister
Macdonald has sympathetic leanings In
the same direction He said at Geneva
last week that until Germany is given
"tlBtice," peace cannot be considered to
be fortified. Germany's stake In re-
Nsing the Versailles treaty Is, of course,
paramount
Unofficial intimations credit the ALL
thor Of the ''Mussolini pact" with seek
Ing. above ALL to strengthen the ma
chinery for juridical or arbitral settle
msnt Of international disputes and for
revising those clauses OF existing
treaties that experience shows have
been particularly resented by the ma
lions defeated In the World War, be-
cause these provisions have placed them
In a position Of material or moral in
feriority in regard to their neighbors."
These suggestions are supplemented BY
an expression Of belief that "if the
most glaring injustices in existing treaties
could be removed, the present ami
mosities would soon subside and re-
duction of arrlaments follow as q
natural consequence"
These are self-evdent truths. The
trouble has been that the interested
powers are loathe to recognize them
and, drawing the logical conclusions,
mold their policies accordingly. The
MNssolini plan has the merit of meet
ing the issue face to face The re-
sentiments left behind by the World
War peace treaties are responsible for
keeping Europe a powder barrel 1t
will remain such until the explosive in
gradients in the situation are removed.
II Duce will have assured himself
even greater degree OF Immortality
than Is already guaranteed the creator
OF Fascism If the initiative he has Just
taken leads to the far-reaching results
he centemplates. But as q realist, he
must be conscious that an issue like
the Polish Corridor cannot be brushed
aside over night, or that traditional
French suspicious of Germany are to
be allayed by any magical process,
with triumphant and truculent Hitler
dictatorship enthroned at Berlin.
AS the leader of the anti-revision
group. France holds the key Lausanne
Is here to show the world that the
reparations clause Of the Versailles
treaty did not prove to be sacrosanct.
Is 1t too much to hope that other por-
tions of that once supposedly i'm
pregnable and untouchable covenant
may not also yield to major opera
ton? Prime Minister Macdonald says
that Europe must organize peace" If
she wants it. The "Mussolini pact"
points the way.