Evening star., 1937-04-04
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.
European situation Is lik

BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.
TIME European situation is like
one of those trick glasses
whichever way you turn 1t, it
L always reverts to its vertical
position.
Whatever trouble may periodically
occur in Europe, whether on the
Spanish battlefield, in Czechoslovakia,
or in Austria, the Anglo-Italian-
French and the Russo -German-French
antagonisms surge with an ever-in-
creasing danger to the peace Of the
world.
In ordinary times the defeat Of the
Fascist division in Spain would have
caused an inevitable heartache in
Rome. broad grins in London and in
Paris, some concern in Berlin, but
no definite crisis. Whether the defeat
of the blackshirts on the Spanish
front will bring about major crisis
with fatal "denouement" or will
fizzle down to another war scare, can
not be told at the present moment.
It Is not in the laps of the gods; it
will be determined by Mussolini's
pugnacity.
The belief in Washington is that
il Mussolini considers the honor OF
his country at stake lin Italy nova
days that expression covers multi
tude of situations) he will disregard
the warnings from Paris and London
and will send real fighting troops to
Frances support. Under the circum-
stances, it depends entirely on London
and Paris as to whether such move
by Mussolini will be effectively chal-
lenged.
Italian Troops no Match.
Washington observers recognize the
true Importance Of the midadventure
Of the Italian division on the Spanish
front The troops forming that group
we're blackshirts sent directly from
Ethiopia. They had never been under
direct fire. Their role in the Ethlo-
plan campaign was to build and guard
roads from the base to the front. They
had fought rain, heat and tropical
diseases, but never Selassie's warriors.
allO lIlCy "ClC llop dIl ddCHdhcS AidNNii
for the international brigade OF Span
ish Loyalists, augmented by seasoned
Frenchmen, Russians, Belgians, Brit
ish and Poles
According to witnesses OF the
disaster, these untried battalions
might conceivably have given a fair
account of themselves had the Spanish
rebels not been Enthusiastically
Spanish-and commanded by pro-
crastinating general.
Here is the history of what happened
in the Madrid sector. The Italians,
under their own commander. attacked
the Loyalist positions from the North
on the Guadalajara front early in the
morning. The rebel troops south OF
Madrid were supposed to attack an
hour or so later. The commander OF
the Loyalist front, Gen. Miaja, either
knew that the rebel commander in
the South did not like to wake up
early and fight without a copious
breakfast, or took a chance. In any
case, he ordered the international
brigade to counter-attack, leaving
only thin curtain of defensive troops
on the southern front.
Gen Miaja was right. The COM
mander of the southern sector made
no move and the blackshirts found
themselves, after few hours of what
looked like a complete break OF the
northern front, counter attacked by
real soldiers. well equipped and well
trained The victory became a rout.
The Italians were taken by surprise
they stood their ground for a few
hours and then started running
mountainwards leaving behind their
killed and wounded and most of their
equipment.
MusSolini on Parade.
At the time of this incident, Mus
solini was strutting in Libya on a
white charger, displaying to the Arabs
from Africa and Asia his broad chest,
his strong teeth and his battle fleet
anchored off the shores of the Italian
African province Mussolini's per-
sonal appearance and his modern gray
ships duly impressed the natives. But
through grapevine telegraph, nasty
rumors about a terrific defeat in
Spain spread among the admiring
Mohammedans
Mussolini went back to Rome in a
vile temper. He did not blame hi,
blackshirts for the defeat; Franco
appeased him somewhat by firing the
manana commander of the southern
front and replacing him with young
and energetic major. II Duce gave
vent to his Disappointment by accus-
ing the foreign press Of being a lying
outfit and warning the world that
these attacks would have dire conse-
quences unless stopped at once.
All this was stage show, which i'm
pressed neither Paris nor London
But what worried the Paris govern
ment was the unspoken threat re-
ported by agents stationed in Italy;
that Mussolini contemplated sending
more fighting divisions to Spain in
open violation of the neutrality OF
non n-intervention farce which is being
played at the present moment by all
powers in London.