Evening star., 1938-04-20
The British-Italian Pact
Observer Sees War More Distant, but Is Skeptical
as to Status of Democracy.

French, and which have cost Musso-
lini thousands Of lives and millions
of dollars. Even II we assume that
he has been paid or partly paid in
Spanish raw materials, he will be no
better of that when he went in, and
the probability is that he will be very
much in the hole.
Remains Cruel Joke.
OF course, the agreement about
non-intervention remains the cruel
and immoral joke that 1t has been
: from the beginning
The Italian Foreign Minister con-
Arms that his government adheres to
the British formula for the propor-
tional withdrawal OF volunteers from
Spain at the time and under
the conditions laid down by the Nom
intervention Committee"
In view Of past history, this SIM
ply means that Italy agrees not to
withdraw from Spain until Franco
has won the war, and England agrees
to continue to call active assistance
for Franco non-intervention
Nee ANAoScoAAiib nElCto JlldL lIlp TlU-
ment the war is over all italian vol
unteers shall Immediately leave, and
all Italian war material be imme-
dlately removed. and all territorial,
political and economic advantages re-
nounced
So we are asked to believe that
Mussolini has been fighting this whole
war out OF purely altruistic motives,
or, we can draw the conclusion that
Britain also wants a Franco victory
and that England and Italy together
will share the spoils
But Germany is also in Spain. So
now England must try to negotiate
an agreement with Hitler that he
should also get out OF Spain. But
why should Hitler do so, except for
very handsome quid pro quo? Who
is going to throw him out? England,
France and Italy together? Italy has
reaffirmed the Berlin-Rome axis. II
Franco wins the war, Spain will be
sovereign power and the dictator
Will be Franco. Suppose Gen. Franco,
who will have conquered Spain with
foreign troops, finds that he cannot
hold 1t without their continued pres
ence? Suppose he finds it useful to
have German aid to extend and en-
large Spanish empire in Morocco?
Hitler in Good Position.
Is there anything to prevent Franco
from making arrangements with either
Hitler or Mussolini? From asking Hit
Ter to build him ports and give him
arms in exchange for raw materials?
At Wurzburg a few months ago Hitler
admitted that he was in Spain for raw
materials.
1t seems to me that Hitler is in an
extremely good position. He Hill GER
tainly ask price for leaving Spain,
and that price will be a free hand IN
Central Europe. He Is taking 1t any
how, but, Of course. he would much
rather have it by agreement. so that he
can present himself as a gentleman
and keeper of treaties.
I cannot see that the negotiation of
this treaty ends the system of general
blackmail which has kept Europe in
an agonized uncertainty for the last
few years. The net result of it is that
England and France have perhaps won
back their old and dubious ally in case
Of war. II this is as far as 1t goes.
then the hope of doing more than
postpone war is chimerical.
And my guess is that the eventual
price which may have to be paid will
be the abrogation of the French-Soyiet
pact, in which case Germany will De
infinitely stronger than she was in
1914, and in which case Germany and