The Washington times., 1936-11-26
ENTENTE Sc F N
BETWEEN DUCE,
NAzI NAVIES

What concrete steps 1DiU Ger.
muny and Italy take in their 1eD
entente to check spread of COM
muniSm from the Spanish ctUu
tDdr? Nearly all possibilities are
loaded tDith grave danger, 10riteS
Frank GerUnSi, International
NeUS SerUice Staff correSpon-
dent, In the tolloDing article.
BY FRANK GERVASI
Copyright. 1885. by International
News Service)
ROME, Nov. 25.-One Of the
most significant and important
"tea fights" in history took place
aboard the resounding steel decks
of grim Italian and German battle
ships off Tangiers recently.
Italian naval commanders in
vited German naval commanders
to tea one afternoon. The cordial.
tiles Of the tea tables were recipro.
Gated.
The most superficial conclusion
that may be drawn from this per-
haps historic tea-party is that the
German and Italian naval COM
mands in the western Mediterra-
mean are on very friendly terms!
Another very superficial but
important inference is that there
are German warships in the
western Mediterranean, and at a
time when the blue skies of the
middle sea are electric with war
tension.
See Nations Linked
Some diplomats go further.
They say in Rome that perhaps
the tea parties in which the
plumed, glittering German and
Italian admirals and their Staffs
participated is another clear in
dication that German-Italian dip
lomatic unity forged in Berlin
extends into the military and
naval sphere.
The question Immediately
arises:
care Italy and Germany pre-
pairing to take drastic measures
to halt further Soviet aid to
the Spanish reds with naval
blOckade?"
International News Service
learned in authoritative quarters
move in this direction is being
seriously considered and that
definite plans on the Italian side
at least, have been made to
blockade the Catalonian coast
should the need arise.
Such blockade would be car.
ried out, International News Serv.
ice was informed, for any of the
following reasons:
l. In the event Soviet freight
erS try to land munitions at
Barcelona or Valencia.
2. AS precautionary move if
and when Catalonia declares it.
self an independent Soviet
state, a possibility looked for
with fall Of Madrid.
To patrol the coastline ef-
fectively against possibilities of
any incident" which might en-.
danger German or Italian ship
ping in those waters following
fall Of Madrid.
EYES ON RUSSIA
Each of these possibilities is
loaded with grave dangers for the
peace of Europe, government and
neutral officials here admit.
Unless Soviet Russia, after de.
nouncing the non-intervention pact
as a "torn-up-scrap-of-paper," beats
a hasty retreat, it is believed GER
tain she will seek to land arms and
munitions to sustain the red cause
in its new Barcelona bailiwick.
Both Premier MuSSolini and
Chancellor Hitler are virtually
pledged to prevent this, the for
mer by his open declarations at
Milan that Italy has raised it's
"old flag of anti-bolshevism" and
the Nazi leader in repeated declara.
tions and speeches.
There is less likelihood Italy
and Germany will retreat from
their adamant positions in regard
to Soviet aid to the Spanish reds
than there is of a Soviet about
4oOO W pun 4Go C11SSG11uGS OuU OF
European war-fires, it is believed
here.
In fact many believe only a
complete Soviet retreat can pre-
vent serious trouble in the Medi.
terranean-perhaps war-as a re-
suit Of fall of Madrid.
Rome and Berlin await tensely
Moscow'S next move. Meanwhile
Italy is ready for war, and this
time, as contrasted with the time
slightly more than a year ago
when Italy and Britain were vir-
tually ready for war over sane.
tions and British threats of a
naval blockade, italy is not alone.
According to diplomats here there
was more than met the eye in the
talks in Berlin between the Ger.
man and Italian foreign ministers,
Baron Won Neurath and Count
Ciano.