Evening star., 1937-09-19
Mediterranean Dynamite

y
Hopes that the nine-power Nvon pact
Tor suppression of Mediterranean piracy
signaled the definite disappearance of
That particular peril to peace do not
appear to have been built on very solid
foundations. Once again that region is
tne arena OF discords, dangers and armed
preparations that augur ANYTHING but
amlty among the nations with clashing
ambitions for its control" Mere tabu-
lation Of developments within the mast
forty-eight hours indicates the dynamite
that lies hidden beneath the sullen waters.
which wash the shores Of Italy, France,
Spain and British Africa.
Friday night an unidentified "pirate"
submarine is reported to have fired
torpedo at the British aircraft carrier
Glorious near Malta, missing it's mark.
The destroyer Comet, ACCOMPANYING the
Glorious, dropped depth charges follow
Ing the attack, in the hope of disabling
or destroying the assassin of the sea-"
as Lord Balfour once stigmatized the
U-boat. Also on Friday British naval
quarters sighted, fifty miles from Malta.
two submarines flying Spanish insurgent
colors and escorted, respectively, by two
German and two Italian destroyers. The
entire convoy was moving toward the
insurgent-held Island of Mallorca in the
Western Mediterranean.
While these events were augmenting
British and French fears and anxieties,
the two governments moved to intensity
their naval measures throughout the
trouble zone. Their fleets are now under
orders to "open fire Immediately" on
airplanes and surface craft, as we'll as
submarines, which attack merchant ves-
sells. simultaneously, the Western
powers decided to call off the notoriously
futile intervention" naval patrol of
Spain, which proved about as effective
In preventing shipment of war sinews
to the peninsula as dam of sieves
would be for Mississippi flood control.
Britain and France will now concentrate
their available naval strength on the
more urgent" task of ridding the Med
iterranean of marauders. Extension of
the Nyon accord to include bombing
planes and surface ships, as we'll as sub
marines. incidentally marks the first
effort ever made to fix the status of air.
craft attacking shipping. We have long
heard of sky pilots. International law
now emissions sky pirates.
Not the least significant of these moves
on the embattled Mediterranean checker
board is the determination Of the British
and the French, and the seven smaller
states acting with them, to stamp out
sea lawlessness regardless of German
and Italian refusal to cooperate and the
protests which Berlin and Rome are
laundering against the program to
thwart Fascist designs in and on Spain.
Mussolini and Hitler thus will have a
new nut to crack when II Duce visits
Germany later in the month. When the
Hood, Repulse and Resolution, along
with heavy compliments of destroyers,
to Southern Spanish waters, as it now
plans to do, some fifty powerful units of
the British feet will be assembled in the
shipping lanes between Gibraltar and
Suez. Together with supporting French,
Turkish. Greek, Rumanian, Yugoslavian
and Bulgarian squadrons. an armada of
some $50 men of war will presently ride
the MediteTanean's waves. Once more
the great sea is as crammed with fighting
craft as it was during the critical days
Of the Ethiopian situation-and just as
full Of explosive possibilities.