Evening star., 1937-09-29
The DictatOrs' 1'Demands.' ,

Hitler and MuSSolini, constituting Eu-
ropes great mutual admiration society.
blew off steam from the same platform
In Berlin last night but contributed
little more than familiar platitudes to
the torrent of peace protestations which
periodically flow from their lips. Der
Fuehrer evidently determined, in a be-
coming spirit of hospitality, to let the
Fascist stranger within the Nazi gate
do the big talking-nether an unac-
customed nor uncongenial role for the
titan of the Tiber While yesterdays
monster demonstration in the Olympic
Stadium formed the official background
for the dictators' joint obeisance to the
olive branch as an instrument of ma
tional policy, Mussolini let a far more
significant cat out of the bag at the
welcoming state banquet in his honor
In the Reichchancellor's palace.
1talo-German solidarity, II Duce af-
flrmed, sis not merely the result of
political calculations, but the expression
of community of interests" He pro-
oeeded to specify these interests" The
Rome and Berlin governments "are
ready to cooperate with all other peo-
piles of good will" What Italians and
Germans require lis respect and under
standing for their necessities and their
justified demands. AS the sole pre-
requisite for their friendship, they in
sist that no attempt be made against
the foundations of our glorious European
civilization"
Stripped of the verbiage used on state
occasions for concealment of purpose,
what all this pacific palaver means is:
Cd That Italy and the Reich will Join
other powers in the works of peace if
such works include the unobstructed
right of "have-not" countries to acquire
territory rich in raw materials, food
stuffs and domain fit for colonization;
90 that the Italo-German price for
refraining from war is readiness by the
rest of the world to facilitate the realiza-
the cultural, - economic and political
blessings typified by fascism and nazi-
ism shall not be undermined by COM
munism.
That the anti-Soviet complex is the
guiding star of the Hitler -Mussolini rap
prochement is indicated by the rehashed
plan for four-power pact to include at
first only Germany, Italy and Great
Britain. France would be eligible to
membership only when she throws over
her alliance with Soviet Russia. This is
q brazen revival of the discarded Berlin
scheme to rehabilitate the Locarno
treaty, provided that the Western pow
ers would commit themselves to a def
mite boycott of the U. S. S. R. The
British would have none of that when
first proposed. France was as little
enamored of the idea and is unquestion-
ably as hostile to it now. 1t savors on it's
face of Nazi pledge of good conduct in
Western Europe in return for carte
blanche to the Reich's east, mainly at
the cost of Czechoslovakia and Russia.
Ugly reports reach this country that
Great Britain, eager to rid herself of
Germany's irritating demands for COL
onies, is not averse to supporting the
Reich's European expansion plot. The
same reports avow that Hitler's colonial
turbulence is sheer bluff, sprung to bull
wark his actual goal--British, eventually
Franco-British, acquiescence in Der
Fuehrers lust for domination of Central
Europe. Much of Mussolini's current
hamboyancy in Berlin reflects Italy's
readiness to aid Germany in her os-
tensible quest for colonies, in return for
continued Nazi backing of fascisms pro-
insi1rpept investment in Spojp