Evening star., 1937-05-30
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.


II months.
Political diagnosticians think they
have been able to localize the causes
OF the erratic chart. They believe that
the most perniciouS germ is the con-
flict OF interests in the Mediterranean
between the Roman and the British
empires. The former celebrated its
first birthday early this month with a
spectacular display of military force
IN Rome, where Mussolini, for the hum
dredth time, exorted his legions to be
prepared to sacrifice their lives for
their country. The latter demon
strated its might at the coronation
pageant of King George VI when dele
cations from the four corners Of the
world, representing the component
parts of the greatest empire, came to
London to pledge allegiance to the new
sovereign.
The medieval pomp was retained for
the coronation-in these days of So
clallsm and democracy-for the sole
purpose OF showing that the annointed
sovereign is the symbol which keeps
the dominions and the colonies closely
tied to the mother country. And while
the military parade in London was
less impressive than the one staged in
Rome by Mussolini, the display of
naval power was meant to serve notice
TO the European nations that Britain
MIA still rules the waves
ii Duce First to CHALLENGE,
Whether the Mediterranean car
buncle will necessitate drastic opera
tion or whether 1t will eventually alb
sorb itself without painful interven-
ton, remains to be seen It is on the
Spanish battlefelds that the necessary
laboratory studies are being made at
the present moment.
For more than 100 years the Mediter-
fanean has been the vital base and
the most important military and COM
mercial route for Great Britain. No
body had actually challenged Britain S
supremacy in that sea until Mussolini
threw his gauntlet at her during the
campaign for the conquest of Ethiopia
In 1885.
The British foreign Office and the
admiralty at first treated this as no
more than spectacular gesture
They compared it to the action of the
little boy who threw stone at the
big fellow and then ran as fast as his
legs could carry him.
But the London moguls soon dis
covered that the little boy had no
intention of running away They real
lied that the Roman upstart" was
1u in
their vital lines of communication.
And they got busy with an enormous
rearmament program, which, If ready
ta time, will place Great Britain once
more in a position of crushing su-
periority in the Mediterranean.
Mussolini, in turn, has not remained
idle. Not only did he place the en-
tire country on war basis; not only
did he mobilize all the forces Of the
country for the struggle which he
sometimes terms David against Co.
Nath," but he also took advantage
OF . timely civil war in Spain to
secure unique strategic position for
Italy IN the Mediterranean. And
herein lies the anxious desire OF
Rome and her German ally to see
victory for the leader OF the Spanish
Fascists, Gen. Francisco Franco.
The British diplomats, soldiers and
sailors are fully aware that in order
to strengthen his strategic position at
the crossroads Of the world-the Med
1terranean-Mussolini will spare no
effort or sacrifice to obtain a solid
foothold in the Balearic Islands and
on the Spanish mainland
To consolidate his position in Spain
and In the Mediterranean II Duce
has been compelled to surrender to
Hitler all his ambitious plans con-
corning the Danubian basin in gen.
eral and Austria in particular. He
yielded Austria to his German friends
ana acknowledged their zone OF in
nuence In Hungary, Yugoslavia and
Rumanla. He promised to mobilize
enough forces at any given point re-
quired by the German general staff
IN the event OF civil war" in
C7echoslovakia. He also joined ac-
lively IN the anti Communist cam
paign started by Germany two years
ago. He was glad to abandon some-
what doubtful economic and political
ambitions in Central and South
eastern Europe for Germany's SUD-
port IN the fulf1llment of Mussolini's
great dream-the re-estab ablishment of
the old Roman Empire.
Trip Well Planned,
The fears OF the British regarding
Mssollni's plans In Africa, his desire
to become the protector of the Mos
lens throughout the world, were fur
ther confirmed by II Duce's last Spec
tacular trip to Libya. virginio Gayda.
Duce's official spokesman, stated
IN the Gionale d1talia that the trim
to North Africa was reafirmation
OF Italy's imperial policy in the Medi-
terranean.
The trip was well planned. Besides
the usual number of newspaper men
from Italy and other countries in
search OF spectacular copy, there were
some so reporters representing Tunis-
ian, Egyptian, Syrian, Arab and other
1nolan newspapers. Sightseeing busses
carried no less than 500 Tunisians to
see II Duce's big parade in Libva
delegations from almost every Moslem
potentate were given liberal hospi-
tahty at the expense Of the Italian
government during Mussolini's tri-
umpnant trip through North Africa.
And MussoHni's Irritation with the
Moslems was not confined to giving
their representatives good time. Ibn-
ben-Saud, the powerful leader of Ara
bia. and other minor chiefs are still
being courted by Mussolini's emissar-
ies. Hospitals and schools are being
built in the Moslem regions of Ethio-
pia. Airplanes, somewhat dilapidated
tanks and obsolete artillery-obsolete
compared with the newer European
equipment-are being presented to the
Arabs in Africa and Asia Lavish per-
sonal gifts are given by Mussolini's
representatives to the various chief
tains. The Adds Ababa authorities