Evening star., 1933-03-20
ROME CONFERENCE
IS HELD FAILURE
Results of MacDonaId's Talk
With Duce Are Consid-
cred Negative.
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.

The results OF the Macdonald Mus
solini conversations are considered in
responsible quarters in Washington as
negative.
The situation in Europe Is believed to
have remained as obscure and full of
dangers as before MacDonaId's spectac-
ular trip to Rome.
While Italy has received skeptically
the British proposals for disarmament,
because they contained no actual dis
armament, the French government and
the French press have been up in arms
during the last 4s hours. The reports
received this morning from Paris indi-
cate that neither the government nor
the French people are in q mood to ac-
cept. at the present moment, either the
Macdonald or the Mussolini sugges-
tions.
That II Duce has considered the new
disarmament plan of the British prem
ier as not sufficiently constructive, is
no wonder, It Is stated in responsible
quarters.
Politics Must be Settled.
Mussolmi and the Italian people
have been strong for drastic and i'm
mediate reduction Of arms. But during
the last few months it has become evi-
dent that no such reduction Is possible
unless the political difficulties which
are at the bottom OF Europes arma-
ment race are settled.
Thus to the Macdonald disarmament
proposals, Mussolini replied by suggest
ing . comprehensive plan, comprehen-
sive at least as far Is Italy is concerned,
for an attempted solution Of the politi-
cal problems.
II Duce has proposed the extension Of
the Locarno pact which at present guar
antees only the eastern frontiers OF
France to the minor European nations.
That IS to say, that Italy does not want
to remain only the guarantor of
LOcarno agreement, but wants her own
frontiers protected by an international
agreement, against possible attack
from Yugoslavia
The reason for this Is easy to under
stand. For the last few months the
Belgrade government, under the pre-
text of taking precautionary measures
against q possible revolutionary out
break in Croatia. has been massing i'm
portant forces on the italian frontiers.
The italian government has sent q note
to Belgrade demanding explanations,
but the object Of this note was merely
to inform the Yugoslav government
that Italy knows exactly what Is going
on at her frontiers and Is going to take
the necessary measures to prevent any
surprise. Under the present circum-
stances, 1t Is dif1cult for the Italian
government to accept any reduction OF
her national defense forces, but in order
to make such a thing possible, Musso-
lini has suggested the extension Of the
Locarno pact to all nations which might
eventually be involved in q conflict.
New League Considered
Macdonald is reported to have &C
cepted such a suggestion and IN ms
desire to have the most important
countries cooperate for international
security he Is playing with the idea OF
another League of Nations, and hopes
to be able to draw the United States
into such q combination.
The result of the Macdonald Musso-
lini meeting Is expressed in Washington
diplomatic circles as follows:
Macdonald has gone to Rome with
a disarmament plan, which was not
considered either suficiently far reach
Ing, nor good enough for Italy's securi-
ty. He has left Rome with q political
plan, which is not likely to be accepted
by France or Germany. Both these
countries are fighting over ratios and
parity"
The whole situation, as far as France
Is concerned, remains as difdcult as 1t
was before the MacDOnal Id SMuSSol1nl
interview. with the additional draw
back that the French people who since
last Summer have been led to believe
in Britain's assistance in case Of trou-
BILE, are now worried that the British
government is trying to dodge the issue
and Is preparing the ground to with
draw from whatever commitments 1t
may have assumed toward France after
the Lausanne conference. The French
see in MacDonald's efforts nothing else
but an effort to dispose of the most
important clauses Of the Versailles
treaty by giving Germany . parity In
man-power With France. and that 4