Evening star., 1938-04-24
By CONSTANTINE BROWN.
CCOMPANIED by q blare Of publ

~ ity, trumpets and roll Of drums,
~ from the inspired press and Official
statements from London, the Anglo
italian agreement was signed in Rome last
Saturday It Is represented as q perfect
example Of traditional British diplomatic
shrewdness Great Britain and Italy have
been at drawn daggers since 1885. The
barriers between them seemed insurmount-
able. Until few months ago there was no
sign Of these relations improving. The
Rome-Berlin axis was the dominant instru-
ment Of diplomacy in Europe. Then, all Of
sudden. 80 the propaganda sources say,
the British premier decided to wean Rome
around which the whole world was turning
at q speed regulated by Hitler and Musso-
lini, and the miracle has happened A ges-
ture from London. the dangling Of full
purse under the eyes Of II Duce, and 10!
The axis Is bent
This at least, Is the favorite tune Of the
London foreign office. II the matter is not
put so bluntly in the press, it is because
Mussolini does not wish to appear to have
yielded with such ease. But foreign Offices
and statesmen in the chancellories Of the
democratic states are told plainly that this
Is the case.
Axis Not Affected.
There is no doubt that the British Italian
agreement serves to alleviate the existing
tension in the Mediterranean. But between
this and the intimation that it marks the
beginning Of the end Of the Berlin Rome
axis there is . world Of difference. The
axis remains untouched.
The British italian negotiations were
demanded" both by Berlin and Rome SIM
ultaneously. just before Chamberlain was
compelled to unload his foreign secretary,
Anthony Eden. Ambassador Dino Grandi
in London, and Foreign Minister Joachim
Won Ribbentrop in Berlin insisted that the
position Of the British Empire be clarified
at the earliest possible moment. Germany
was dispatching ultimatums to Austria and
preparing to move toward solution of the
Czechoslovak question. The Popular Front
government in France announced loudly
that Paris would use all coercive powers at
her disposal to prevent any interference
with her Central European allys independ-
ence. And Eden seemed indirectly to back
the French. The dictators were in hurry
to discover Britain's attitude and they spoke
bluntly. Chamberlain overnight became a
realist. Eden was unloaded and negotia-
tions for an agreement with Italy began.
Chamberlain Weathers Opposition.
The country was disturbed! Parliament
was opposed to Chamberlains foreign poll
ces. But in . test vote it did not give the
premier black eye and was willing to wait
for the results Of the negotiations The
parliamentarians did not like the rumors
that the British lion had been coerced into
these negotiations. Questions were asked
in the House of Commons regarding the
Italian note. Chamberlain hid behind the
usual expedient and said that publication
OF the note would be against public interest.
And Eden, who had already resigned.
pushed his loyalty so far to back his former
chief and concur with Chamberlain's point
Of view. 1t would have been too humiliating
indeed for the British to hear that the
Empire had to yield to the two upstairs.
The most significant part Of the new
gentlemen's agreement lies In the fact that
1t will become effective at date to be fixed
later by both governments. This paragraph
was omcially inserted to allow both govern
ments to see how faithfully each would ad-
here to promises made. The real reason,
however, Is that Mussolini did not want to
make the agreement binding until Franco
had obtained q complete victory in Spain
and the withdrawal Of his Blackshirts could
begin. and until the conversations for 4
German British agreement were initiated.
Despite the intimations from London, the
Berlin-Rome axis remains as strong as
ever.
The basis for the axis is expansion Ger
many eastward toward the Black Sea and
possibly the Caspian; Italy in the Mediter-
ranean with q view to restoring the old
Roman-African Empire. The final touches
to this agreement were made when Musso-
lini called on Hitler last winter. To the
ambitions for territorial aggrandizement,
the British could offer nothing not already
IN the possession or within the reach Of the
Italians.
Would Recognize Conquest.
The Anglo-Italian agreement provides,
for instance that Great Britain will UNDER
take to bring about recognition of the con-
quest Of Ethiopia by the League of Nations.
This undertaking will be fulfilled and it will
undoubtedly please Mussolini to have an
onicial OK. on his conquest But the fact
remains that even without that official ap-
proval, Halle Selassie's empire is province
OF the Italian crown.
This, together with a guarantee for the
freedom Of movements of Italian ships In
the Mediterranean, and the assurance that
Britain will never close the Suez Canal to