Evening star., 1936-05-29
AnglO.Italian Accord?

Reports emanate from Rome that in
formal negotiations are under way look
ing to an Anglo-Italian accord and solu-
ton Of the grave problems that have
arisen between the two countries over
Ethiopia. Mussolini has just told dis
tinguished interviewer from London
that amity with Great Britain is now
his principal objective. Concrete steps
aimed at the achievement of an un-
derstanding are apparently imminent.
Whatever Europe's de jure conception
of the East African situation may be,
II Duce insists that recognition of the
de facto position-Italy's definite con-
quest of Ethiopia-nust be the condition
precedent to any reconciliation with the
British.
Outlines are available of the terms
and concessions Mussolini would con-
slider as the price of renewed friendship
with Britain. He is reported ready to
allay the fears of all powers whose
African territory adjoins that of Italy.
Particularly with reference to Egypt,
Italy is willing to withdraw military re-
Inducements from adjacent Libya in
return for recall of the British home feet
from the Mediterranean. Italy is also
in mood to give Britain adequate guar
antees concerning the waters of Lake
Tana, so vital to the irrigation require
ments of the Blue Nile Valley in the
Sudan. But until the League lifts sane
tions there is no disposition to withdraw
Fascist troops from East Africa. Musso
lini is disinclined to pledge himself irrev-
ocably not to recruit native army in
Ethiopia, but has no objection to giving
assurances respecting limitation of its
size Conspicuous in the dictator's plan
for an Italo-British entente is the de-
mand for a new deal throughout the
Mediterranean area, based on unselfish
cooperation among all the bordering
powers. He is credited with willingness
to go to great lengths to obtain such an
understanding in the interest of peace
but it would have to rest on unqualified
acknowledg of Italys imperial new
place in the African sun and on the
permanence of her recent expansion in
that region. With removal of funda-
mental causes for potential strife with
her colonial neighbors, Italy is prepared
to dedicate herself exclusively, for the
indefinite future, to the economic de-
velopment of Ethiopia and her other
African territory, contented to regard
her expansion ambitions and necessities
as adequately gratified.
1t remains to be seen to what degree
Great Britain is minded to respond to
these Roman olive branch overtures.
The prospect is seriously beclouded by
the conviction prevalent in London that
Italian propaganda lies at the root OF
Arabian Jewish strife in Palestine, as
well as being responsible for revived
nationalist agitation against Britain in
Egypt. There are so many points Of
Anglo Italian contact and mutual inter-
est in the Mediterranean, the Near East
and Africa that craftsmanship in Lon
don and Rome, if truly imbued with a
desire for composing differences and ex-
tracing the gunpowder from a highly
explosive situation, should find relatively
little difficulty in paving the way to an
accord compatible with the honor and
welfare of both countries. A compre-
hensive Anglo-Italian agreement would
go far toward averting the crisis in the
direction of which Europe is now heading