Evening star., 1936-02-20
HITLER, NOT DUCE,
IS HELD |N|T|AT0R
Spokesman Asserts He Re-
allies Reich Is Isolated by
Franco-Soviet Pact.

(copyrisht, 1885, by Associated PressJ
ROME, February 20.-Reichsfuehrer
Adolf Hitler, rather than Premier
Mussolini, is taking the initiative IN
intense Italo- German diplomatic ex-
changes, authoritative German circles
said today, in an effort to bring about
q complete rapprochement.
Ulrich Won Hassell, German Am
bassador to Italy, went to Munich last
week, had long conversation with
Hitler and then returned to Rome and
requested an audience with Fulvio
Suvich, Italian undersecretary Tor
foreign affairs, these sources disclosed.
After his audience with Suvich, the
German Ambassador flew back to Ber-
lin yesterday morning, at the same
time that the Italian undersecretary
was talking with Egon Berger-Walden-
egg, Austrian foreign minister, at
Florence.
Suvich returned to Rome today to
report to Premier Mussolini personally
on the progress of the negotiations.
Hitler Realizes Position.
A spokesman for German quarters
said Hitler had realized the third
Reich was isolated in Europe by the
Franco-Soviet mutual assistance pact
and by Franco British military con-
versations.
He realized that Italy also was iso-
lated by the operations Of sanctions,
being applied by the League Of Nations
as punishment for the Fascist warfare
In Ethiopia. this source said.
He wanted to establish a common
viewpoint between them.
Consequently, it was asserted, the
two dictators are now exchanging
views on fundamental questions, such
as the League of Nations, the Franco
Soviet pact and Austria.
The Hitler initiative in resuming the
pourparlers with italy followed SINH
lar initiative by II Duce several weeks
ago in attempting to better relations
between the two countries.
Papers Play Up Conferences.
Some Rome newspapers published in
tuxtaposition today the news Of the
conversations between Suvich and
Berger Waldenegg at Florence yester-
day, Won Hassell's visit to Berlin,
Mussolini's reception to the Polish
Ambassador here last night a visit by
Hermann Wilhelm Goering to Warsaw
and French press nervousness over the
possibility of an Italo-Gernlan rap
prochement.
Diplomatic sources attached signifi-
canoe to the fact that the Polish AM
bassador, Alfredo Wysocki, left this
morning for his capital to recount to
the Warsaw foreign minister his latest
conversation with II Duce.
Mussolini and the Polish Ambas-
sador, it was learned, discussed the
whole European situation and the
Franco-Soviet pact in particular.
Defense Against Sanctions.
The conversations between Suvich
and Berger Waldenegg were inter-
preted in informed circles as move
by Italy to strengthen its defenses
against sanctionist nations.
A disposal of the problems Of Aus
trian independence from Germany
and italian rapprochement with Ger
many, these sources said, would i'm
prove Italys diplomatic position i'm
mensely.
It would free Fascist Italy from
fear of facing two distinct European
complications-from Geneva, seat Of
sanctions, and from Austria, beyond
Italy's Brenner Pass-simultaneously
with a pressing of the Italian cam
paign for conquest in Ethiopia.
It would enable II Duce also to di-
vert to other purposes the garrison he
has massed near Brenner Pass as a
warning against any German inter-
ference in Austria.
Rome diplomatic sources said they
regarded prospects for an Italo-Ger-
man accord as a particularly effective
weapon against the sanctions being
imposed on Italy by the League of
Nations for the warfare in Ethiopia.