Evening star., 1937-09-26
KEY TO SPAIN SEEN
IN MUNICH PARLEY
War Believed Inevitable If
Hitler Encourages Duce
on Iberian Policy.
RY John ELLIOTT

MUNICH, September 25.-An idle
gesture or real busineSs-that is the
question the whole world is asking in
regard to the meeting of Premier Ben
ito Mussolini and Reichsfuehrer Adolf
ing week end.
Are the two dictators meeting just
to make an impression on London and
Paris, or will they transform the
Rome Berlin axis into a military alli-
ance or its equivalent? Not since the
war has the meeting of any two states
men attracted such widespread atten-
tion as the coming together of the two
Fascist dictators. Indeed, the mere
fact that Premier Mussolini is leav-
ing his country is in itself rare event.
He has not been out of Italy since he
went to Locarno in October, 1925. to
sign the Rhineland pact.
Once before Premier Mussolini and
ReichSfuehrer Hitler have met. That
was IN Venice in June, 1884. 1t was
hardly a happy event Less than a
month afterward came the Nazi putsch
in Vienna in which the Austrian chan
cellor, Dr. Engelbert Dollfuss. was as
sassinated. II Duce modified his
legions on Brenner Pass, and if Der
Fuehrer had not precipitately backed
down and repudiated the Austrian
NazlS, there would have been war be-
tween Italy and Germany. All that
Summer, in fact, there was the press
OF war between the two countries. And
in the following Spring, after Hitler
mad torn up the military clauses of the
treaty OF Versailles and restored mill
tary conscription. Mussolini met the
statesmen of Great Britain and France
on the shores of Lage Maggiore and
formed the short-lived "Stresa front"
with them.
Ethiopian War Revised Map.
The Ethiopian conflict changed
completely the political map of Eu-
rope. Great Britain resisted Musso-
INNS campaign attempt to gain that
African colony and organized a sane
tions campaign in the League of
Nations against II Duce, dragging
reluctant France with her.
Nowhere was Italy's Ethiopian cam
paign greeted more enthusiastically
than In Germany. This was partly
owing to the fact that the Nazis
realized that the sanctions experiment
at Geneva was only a dress rehearsal
by the League, designed to test this
economic weapon for the organization
OF peace against the day when the
Helch itself might be tempted to
wage war on its neighbors.
Sanctions failed to halt Mussolini
who conquered Ethiopia within a wear
But equal III importance was the
veering Of Italy from the Stresa front
into the Rome-Berlin axis. This de-
lection came as blow to the French.
who until the end remained confident
That the Austrian question would keep
Rome and Berlin apart forever. For
mer Premier Laval, trying to ride
two horses, lost both the Italian
alliance and saw the prestige of the
League Of Nations, which has been
the central arch of the postwar
French foreign policy. severely shaken.
Apparently Mussolini was willing to
abandon Austria to the Nazis in return
for German support in the Mediter-
ranean.
Shortly after the German-Italian
agreement was signed. the Spanish
civil war broke out. There can be no
doubt that there is a direct connection
between these two events. From the
start Germany and Italy backed Gen.
Francisco Franco.
The Nyon arrangement for the sup
preston of piracy in the Mediter-
ranean reflects Anglo-French deter
mination to protect their vital inter-
ests. So, too. is the warning of For
eign Minister Yvon Delbos that a
fresh flow of italian troops to Spain
would upset European equilibrium and
would be countered by France throw
ing open her frontiers for the ship
ment OF supplies to the Valencia gov
ernment.
Hitler May Hold Back Duce.
Today Hitler has the choice of
holding back Mussolini or encouraging
him to go ahead in his Spanish ad-
venture. II he takes the second course
another European war will be rem
dered almost inevitable. However de-
spite the theological affinities of Fas-
cist Italy and Nazi Germany, certain
considerations lead to the belief that
Hitler will not repeat the former
Kaiser's mistake.
First. the Spanish war is unpopular
with the mass of the German people.
and, although Hitler is dictator. he
has his ear constantly to the ground.
Second, the German people have
not forgotten 1915 and how italy.
allied with central powers, cynically
broke her pledges and entered the
war on the side of the allies for the
sake of a higher bribe.
Third, the Reichswehr is opposed
to becoming involved in a war over
Spain on the ground that no vital
German interests are involved in that
conflict.
Fourth, Hitler still bankers after
an alliance with Great Britain. He
is not likely to convert England into
an irreconcilable enemy as long as
there is any hope of coming to terms
with her by negotiations.
Prognosticating what Hitler is 60
ing to do is dangerous business as
experience has shown, but the present
indications are that while the meet
ing OF Hitler and Mussolini will be
magnificent and imposing demon
stration of the friendship of the two
authoritarian and totalitarian states.
1t Will not result in any firm and fast
alliance-and II Duce will be cau-
toned to 90 easy in Spain.
tCopyrisht, 1887, by New York Tribune,
1nc.)