Evening star., 1936-05-03
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.

lectlVe security system is IOTC-
ing Great Britain to take
Il stock of the new situation and
consider new political alignments-
without France, if necessary.
The British prestige in the East has
suffered a definite setback. Her su-
premacy in the Mediterranean has
been challenged by Italy France, on
whose active assistance Britain's
mailed fist policy in the Mediter-
ranean was predicated. can find no
mitigating circumstance for Anthony
Eden's indulgent policy toward Ger
many. Hitler, like Mussolini. Paris
says. has broken solemn pledges, yet
the British government does not want
to apply the same measure of punish
ment to the two culpritS.
Downing Street has been making
mistakes since July. 1885. The British
feet would not have gone to the
Mediterranean had not the British
Ambassador in Rome misunderstood.
Sir Eric Drummond believed that the
mere presence of Britain's men of
war would force Mussolini to his
knees
Sir Eric. before becoming his maj
estys Ambassador at the Quirinal,
had been for IL years the secretary
general of the League of Nations. He
is a fanatic believer in the League.
He did not believe, until too late, that
Mussolini could flaunt that organiza-
ton. "Mussoliri is bluffing" was the
tenor of his reports to London from
June to December, 1885. "A demon
stration of the feet" he wrote,
backed by a stern attitude of the
League would be sufficient to make
II Duce to change his tune. II you
save Ethiopia, the League will reign
supreme and you will save the world
from chaos"
Found London Approval.
These convincing dispatches of the
erudite Ambassador found full ap-
proval in London. Baldwin. Eden,
Chamberlain and even the realistic
admiralty believed that the prestige
of the British Navy would force Mus
solini to accept the Leagues peace
terms. With the support OF the
French, the British admirals believed,
Italy would have no choice. And the
British fleet went to the Mediter-
ranean with decks cleared for action,
fully convinced that no action would
be necessary.
But Mussolini refused to be scared.
He was impressed. there is no doubt
about it; but he had committed him.
self too far in the East African adven-
ture to withdraw. And, as he offered
compromises through his friend,
Count Charles de Chambrun, the
French Ambassador, these were re-
jected on the theory that If he Of
fered compromises he was bound to
accept terms. And the British fleet
idled in the Mediterranean.
Why Great Britain did not react
violently to Italy's victory over Ethi-
opia is probably better understood in
Washington than anywhere else. The
British are not ready to handle Italy
alone and are worried lest a British
Italian conflict might precipitate a
world catastrophe.
But in the near and middle east.
from Constantinople to Kabul, and
from Damascus to the Nejd the pa
tience of the British Lion is being in
terpreted as a sign of weakness. AN
Englishman," says an old Turkish
proverb, will burn his bed to catch
a flea." The fleas-in the eyes of
the Arabs, the Egyptians, the Persians
and the Afghans-is Mussolini; the
bed, the British armada in the Med
iterranean.
Moslem Leaders Band.
For the first time in centuries the
Islamic races show a definite tendency
toward unification. In Janury, this
year. Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Afghan
istan signed a four-power treaty guar
anteeing each others frontiers and
promising mutual assistance in case of
conflict. In March, to the painful
surprise of Downing Street, another
country Joined in this mutual assist
ance pact-the Kingdom of Sandi
Arabia. which Is ruled by the most
independent and determined Arab
leader in modern history, King Ibn
Saud. In April, the Sultan of Ye-
men. hitherto devoted to the British