Imperial Valley press., 1938-03-28
News Behind
the News
Our NeNt President
,ScOrning Neutrality d.
BY RODNEY BUTCHER

WASHINGTON. BY common
it has long been held in
the best-informed circles that one
of the screwiest things an out
slider can do. it to get into a game
where the cards are marked, where
the dice are loaded or VII Ire some
of the players have a secret signal
system.
The game of international power
politics is such a game and the
United States doesn't kui5 which
cards are marked, which dice load
ed or which nations are playing
footie and with whom.
Stakes ard tensions are rising
in Europe. But the State Depart
ment, which loves the game, can
hardly dare make the point that
Its the only game in town
Simplification of the European
situation is riskier than it is sim
pie. 1t would be much easier if one
could accept the current official
diplomatic view in Washington
that the Rome Berlin axis has
been busted by Hitler's annexation
of Austria The plain fact, however
is that no one can tell from this
distance how tight is the bond be-
tween Hitler and Mussollnl or now
bright arc England's chances oi
Severing that bond.
This government has confiden-
tial adviceS - which it believes
that active Nazi penetration OF
Austria which began when Hitler
summoned Chancellor Schuschnig9
to a conference in February, was a
surprise to MusSolini and that the
Duce knew nothing of the con-
ference until he read about it in
the newspapers.
Officials believe that Mussolini
fears Hitler-noW that German
troops are at the Brcnncr Pass
that the interests of Hitler anc
Mussolini conflict. that Italy wants
and needs a Mediterranean agree
ment with England moro thar
anything else and that Mussolinl
regards prospective German pene-
tration into Czechoslovakia and the
Balkans as a menace to her.
Consequently, they infer, it viii
be easy for the Chamberlain gov.
ernment to work out an agree
ment with MusSolini on the Medi'
terranean situation and then Il
play off Italy against Germany
The old British game of playln.
both ends against the middle wa
at least temporarily interrupted
when Hitler and Mussolini decide;
that they could and would pu
England herself in the middle.
This arrangement Dlossomed in
to an "anti-Communist' pact Will
Japan which caused Britain 81.
multaneouSly to worry about Ger
man air raids, control of the Medl
terranean and her life line Il
India and her interests in the Fa
East. 1t bloomed into a climax, a
least according to certain IlKel'
grapevine reports. when German,
and Italy both refused to enter int
any "appeasement' negotiation
with Englnad until Sir Anthon,
Eden resigned as foreign minister
Not everyone in the State De
partment is so naive as to believ
that Italy will now decide to par
company with Nazi Germany ant
cast in her lot with England in re
turn for certain not too vital con
cesSions. There are those who be
lieve that Hitler and MusSolin
long ago agreed that German,
should have Austria and that Ital,
should have Spain-and, in eacl
case, goodness knows how mucl
more territory.
Nothing is proved except TIN
fact that the United States, will
few if any chips on the table a
yet, just doesn't know what's hap
pening or what's about 10 happel
in Europe and presumably shoul
stay out of the game.