Evening star., 1935-07-07
EUROPE'S PEACE
HOPES LESSEN|NG
Many Hidden Motives Fig.
ure in Conditions Threat
ening Disintegration.
BY A. G., GARDINER.


rose to make his first statement in
the House Of Commons, it was ex-
pected that he would have something
to say on the vast thing that is hap
pening In the Far East But, like the
preacher in the story, he looked the
question straight in the face-and
passed on"
The fact illustrates the paralysis of
Europe in the presence of the greatest
emergency in history. That paralysis
is due to diSintegration that grows
steadily more ominous. No sooner
does England, in her role of honest
broker, make a gesture of peace and
accommodation in one direction. than
alarms and suspicious are aroused in
another.
Even the Prince of Wales innocent
suggestion that the ex-service men of
England should fraternize with the ex-
service men of Germany is not well
coined on the other side of the Chan
mel, and the attempt to settle a naval
ratio as between Britain and Germany
is the subject of criticism In the
French press.
But much the most serious imme-
diate feature of European disintegra-
tion is the case of Italy. Signor Mus
solini has never been cordial friend
of the League Of Nations or of Euro
pean reconciliation. but hitherto his
habit of rafting the sabre and talk
ing big" has been attributed to his
instinct for melodramatic appeals to
his people. 1t was felt that his bark
was worse than his bite, and that,
having blown off steam. his actions
would be more sensible than his words
seemed to promise. But this flattering
view is no longer tenable in the pres
ence of the African adventure on
which he seems determined to embark
his unhappy country and of the con-
temptuous attitude he adopts in re-
gard TO the League, its Intervention in
the quarrel and the powers with
which he has been associated and
which now seek to restrain him.
Baldwin Remarks Effective.
Premier Baldwin's reasonable re-
marks about the absence OF any pub
he opinion" in countries under a die
tatorship have stung Mussolini to an
attack of unusual violence on this
country and his feeling toward the
League has been exhibited in his true
ulent Endorsement of the withdrawal
of Japan and Germany from that in
Etltution.
1t was assumed here after the May
conference that Mussolini contem-
plated a face-saving retirement from
the Abyssinian adventure, but every
thing that has happened since seems
to discount that, and opinion both
here and in Italy takes the most ap-
prehensive view Of his intentions. All
recent visitors TO Italy agree that
there is no popular emotion behind
the enterprise and that the public is
as much perplexed as the outside
world as to what is in MuSsolinis
mind. The most general impression
is that he is drifting into a desperate
gamble as way of escape from
hopeless internal situation.
That situation is the subject OF an
acute analysis by Carlo Rosselli in
II.
he says, has never been so powerful:
but Italian society has never been so
weak. Italy has entered the vicious
circle which characterizeS all dicta-
torships in decadence: The greater
T, the material power and coercion, the
greater the collapse of society and
the greater the need of coercion. Pas
r. sivism, indifference, resigned despair
are manifest all through society, youth
z included.
! Cooperative State Myth.
> The cooperative state, with which
Z Mussolini attempted to galvanize the
I. masses and especially the youth of the
: country, has become myth. The
Z trade unions have not obtained EN-
!, trance" to the factories. The dis
y tribution of wealth has not under
4 gone any substantial change. except
!. that everybody is poorer. The bour-
4 geoisie is more and more disturbed
! by and tired of the bureaucratic in
= vssion. Youth, denied its cooperative
. revolution. is disillusioned, has lost
confidence in Mussolini and sees in
> him the obstacle to that revolution.
80 Add to all this the financial catas-
trophe into which the country is help
lessly sinking. AS long as there were
deserves of wealth, things did not 60
badly. But the reserves are gone and
gFascism bleeds the country white with
Tremendous expenditures for appear
ances and war, eorrupts it with mo-
nopolies, interventions, political prizes
and preferences. Exports decrease
continuously, the pressure of taxes is
<unbearable, the standard of living Of
Hell classes Is worsening
: These" says Signor Rosselli, ARE
some of the hidden motives which
have decided Mussolini to throw him
self into the colonial adventure,
sagainst all reason. The Abyssinian
expedition is not merely diversion;
1t is q supreme attempt to break
through the inertia of the country, to
9try to give to the dictatorship and to
Sthe Duce a justification, a goal,
Z great success. At the same time it
q serves to impose on the country an
4 iron discipline. closing the mouth of
youth and getting rid of dangerous
: sspcial and political elements, which
: ore sent to Africa"
4 1t is dark picture, and it is con-
3 sfrmed by all the first-hand informa-
8 ton which comes to me from Italy.
: The shadow which it casts over the
: landscape is not confined to italy, but
{ darkens the whole European problem.
: For it threatens another and perhaps
- fatal blow to the League and the