Evening star., 1936-02-02
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.

~ ELEGATES to the League OF
Nations have finally shelveo
the oil embargo and are rest
- ing their weary efforts. Para
doxically, the whole problem Of this
embargo was originally imposed on
Geneva by the United States. a nom
member Of the League, and the sub
ject has been abandoned only because
the American Congress is not acting
fast enough to lead the League, and
the representatives got tired of wait
ing.
While the primary purpose OF the
American neutrality bill of 1895 was
to keep America out Of trouble. the
secondary aim of shortening the war
in East Africa may be the ultimate
result.
The British government is now
veering to the French point of view
that for the sake of postponing the in
evitable tragedy In Europe, 1taly's
power on that continent must be
maintained With France in an ex-
tremely precarious social and financial
situation. there is no doubt that Ger
many will become the dominating
power in Europe if the Mediterranean
nations clash. Italy's 1,250,000 men
modified on the Italian and German
borders, Italy's homogeneous fleet OF
fast. up-to-date cruisers and subma-
rines and Italy's 1900 planes, manned
by aviators who have not known de-
feat vet, undoubtedly make Italy a
stabilizing power in Europe.
Eden Willing to Concede.
Anthony Eden has taken stock OF
the entire situation and is now willing
to make concessions to Mussolini. He
is preparing a peace plan that will
save II Duce's face, satisfy Halle Sc
lassie and-most important of all
make irr possible in the future another
challenge t. Britain's might in the
Mediterranean.
The rough outline of this plan Is
to offer Mussolini the whole desert
zone Gen. Graziani has occupied in
the south, parts of the regions oc-
cupied by the army of Field Marshal
Badogliu. except Makale and the Holy
City of Aksum; economic concessions
without giving Italy preponderant
rights in independent Ethiopia, and
. participation, without control IN
an international police force to be
established in Selassie's empire.
Such terms, if accepted by the
italian dictator, will be followed by a
proposal for a five-power conference
to settle permanently the problems
of the Eastern Mediterranean. The
five nations participating will be
Great Britain, France, Italy, Turkey
and Greece.
In some respects, the British ideas
for an Eastern Mediterranean pact
are no. unlike those they brought
to Washington In 1921 for the naval
agreement. Americans will recall with
chagrin that occasion, when the United
States scrapped brand-new battle
ships for British blueprints.
The British government intends
now to offer II Duce the demilitariza-
tion of Malta and Cyprus, in exchange
for the demilitarization of the Islands
of Pantelleria, Rhodes and Leros. OF
course, Malta and Cyprus are ad-
mittedly obsolete naval bases which
could not hold for three weeks against
an air attack. The Dodecanese Islands
and Pantelleria, on the other hand,
are new submarine and air bases
which have cost Italy millions OF
dollars to fortify.
French Would Support British.
The Turks would renounce their
plan to fortify their unfortified Asia
Minor coast and the French, having
no bases on the Mediterranean east
of CAPE Bon, would simply support
the British.
While Mussolini would do his mad
dog act" rather than accept the terms
offered him originally by the League
of Nations September 5, 1885, and
while Eden's new plan may not con-
form precisely with II Duce's idea Of
. glorious peace" Britain's new for
eign secretary is well aware Of the
fact that the city is still an important
money market and that loan on sat-