Evening star., 1937-09-05
N0N:|NTERvENT|ON|
END DAPPEARS NEAR
Duce's Open Interference in
Spain May Be Death
s'a- Blow.
BY JOHN ELLIOTT.


PARIS, September 4.-The hollow
pretense of intervention in Spain
that has kept the Spanish civil war
from devolping into a European con-
nlct for more than year is now wear
Ing so thin that its inglorious end
seems to be only question of a few
weeks at the utmost
Premier Benito Mussolini's telegram
to Gen. Francisco Franco congratulate t.
ing him on the capture of Santander,
as we'll as the recent submarine attack
on the British destroyer Havock, in the
Mediterranean have administered we'll
nigh death blow to a system that
was already seriously undermined by
the desertlon Of Italy and Germany
from the naval blockade around the
coasts of Spain.
Indignation in France is so strong
that 1t seems inevitable now that the
Spanish frontiers of this country will
be opened to the Madrid government
for volunteers and supplies unless
Premier Mussolini gives prompt and
definite assurances to respect the nom
intervention pact in the future
Boasts of Intervention.
Premier Mussolini has come out in
the. open and publicly boasted of
1taN's intervention on the side of
the rebels. In his telegram to Gen.
Franco he claimed for the Italian
troops the lions share of glory in
the. capture of Santander. Beyond
cavll it is now revealed by II Duce
himself that he has been violating
his promises to abstain from inter-
ference in Spain as cynically as he
broke his pledges under the Kellogg
pact and the League covenant when
he conquered Ethiopia.
Moreover, in his Palmero speech,
Mussollnl made a statement entirely
incompatible with non-i intervention
when he declared In a most categori-
cal manner that Italy would not "tol-
crate in the Mediterranean Bolshe-
vism or anything like it." This con-
stitutes doctrine of interference in
the internal affairs of another inde-
pendent country such as Europe has
not witnessed since the Holy Alliance
after Waterloo attempted to prescribe
democratic government in European
countries.
Neither Great Britain nor France
can permit Mussolini 10 dictate what
sort OF regime Spain is going to have
Both these countries are as much in
terested in the kind of government
Spain has as Italy France more in
fact, for that country has common
land frontiers with Spain which Italy
has not. Furthermore. vital interests
of both Great Britain and France are
involved in keeping open the Mediter-
ranean for trade.
Subs Open Statesmen's Eyes.
Recent attacks on shipping in this
sea by bmarlnes-believed to be Ital-
lar-opened the eyes of statesmen of
both the democratic powers of West
ern Europe to the menace contained
in these raids to their overseas COM
munications. The French cabinet re-
Gently instructed its charge daffaires
in London, who bears the historic
name of Roger Cambon. to take up the
subject with the British foreign min
lister, Anthony Eden.
He was to demand that final
showdown should be held in a meet
ing of the Nom Intervention Commit
tee with the veiled threat that unless
France received satisfaction, the
French frontier would be thrown open.
Keeping open communications be-
tween France and her North African
possessions is the prime necessity in
France in the event of a future Euro
pean conflict, and in attacking ship |
ping in the Mediterranean Mussolini |
IS aiming at Frances Achilles heel" |
1t is understood that the French |
diplomat did not get much satisfac-
ion from Mr.. Eden Great Britain |
.c- the time being still clings to the
on-lntervention scheme. Possibly the
attack on the destroyer Havock may
cause change Of heart in Downing
;treet. In any event, Mussolini's now
open intervention in the Spanish con-
1let is bound TO have a depressing
sffect on negotiations between Italy
4 nd Great Britain, which are due to
axe place in Rome later this month.
Copyrisht, 1887, by New York Tribune, Inc,