The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-08-09

THERE were times after
power in Italy when other
condottiere-one of those adv
history.
There were times when hi
the glory of being a soldier, the
ready to take part in war, about 1t
cent of what ex-Kaiser Wilhelm us
But it turned out that these speech,
than for abroad.
Acting in the great world outside
Of Italy, Mussolini proved himself
a statesman steadfastly consecrated
to the cause of peace in the old
world.
He took a leading part in the
famous Locarno treaty, signed Oct.
Is, 1925, by Italy, Great Britain,
France, Germany, and Belgium.
Under this, the frontiers between
Germany and France and Germany
and Belgium were guaranteed.
In case France or Belgium at
:, tackled Germany, or Germany at?
tackled France or Belgium, Italy
anu NICdI NooLu WHY ~
the ald of the attacked party,
It was pact designed to assure
nervous neighbors, afraid that the
League of Nations alone did not
give them enough security.
Engineers Peace Pacts
Following that, Mussolini gave
his assent to the famous Kellogg
BRAND pact, in which the United
States, Italy Great Britain,
France, Belgium, Germany, Po-
land, Czecho-Slovakia, and Japan
solemnly renowned war as a
means of arbitrament of disputed
questions.
But still France was nervous.
Mussolini then engineered his own
famous Four-Power Pact, signed
in 1898 by Italy, Britain, France
and Germany. 1t was agreed that
all seriuos questions among them
should be brought before the
League of Nations for maintenance
of peace.
Soviet Russia was somewhat per-
turbed by this pact, so in Septem-
Der, 1898, Mussolini concluded
pact of friendship and non-aggres-
sion with Russia, saying:
"The Four-Power Pact elm
mates the danger of blocs in
western Europe. So far as Italy
is concerned I hope this Russian
pact attains the same result in
eastern Europe and western Asia"
Signs Other Treaties
Prior to this, he had engineered
three great treaties for peace in
the eastern Mediterranean. In
1898 he signed pact with Greece
ana one with Turkey and largely
helped bring about similar one
between the ancient foes-Greece
and Turkey.
In 1881 Mussolini agreed to ad-
here to the London naval pact
signed by the Z. S., Japan and
England. France also then adj
hered to it.
To a world alarmed by some
of his speeches. Mussolini gave
assurance in 1880 in his message
to his party:
"Fascist italy arms because
everybody arms. 1t will disarm
If everybody disarms. We arm
for defense and not for attack.
Fascist Italy will never take the
initiative in war"
In March, 1894, he engineered
a pact among Italy, Austria, and
Hungary. On the political side
it took the form of a consultative
80 -
furthermore had sections designed
to improve economic relations
among the three states.
Plays Deep Politics
If all these things were
Straightforward and statesman
like, the same was not true of
Mussoiinis attitude with regard
to Germany and F'rancse. He con-
sistently played one against the
other, especially after Adolf Hit
Ter and his Nazis came to power
in Germany. If, at first, he
seemed to favor Germany in its
claim for revision of treaties and
for Tournament, it was because
Hitler had largely initiated Fas-
cism and seemed about to create
q state kindred to Italy.
But Hitler, in his racial perse-
cutions, in his making in the az
fairs of Austria, soon alienated
the Duce. Basically, Mussolini
never loved the Teutons.
In the matter of German re-
armament, he seemed to assent,
because he saw no way short of
war to prevent 1t.
As for France, the relations be-
tween the Latin sisters had been
bad for years. France had COM
pletely refused to give Italy any
Of the territory pledge in the Sc
cret London treaty of 1915. France
insisted upon a nevy larger than
Italy's. France treated Italy like a
poor relation.
Hitler Goes Too Far
Hitler presumed too much upon
this position. He backed the
movement of the Austrian Fas-
cists, who were seeking to bring
about union of some sort be-