Evening star., 1938-02-20
Eden Nearly Alone
in Fight Upon.
Italian Deal.
REPORTED READY
TOQUIT MINISTRY
Foreign Chief Declared
Backed by 2 Against
Chamberlain.
BACKGROUND

6AChGROUND-
As aftermath to Nasi coup in
Austria by Which Hitler obtained
admission OF tlDo OF his syn,pa-
thisers to Vienna cabinet, British
government has been split Utde
open BY reDolt OF Foreign Secretary
anthony Eden against any agree
n,ent ,Cith Italy Uhich might be
construed as submission to the
Rome-Berlin arts.
By the Associated Press.
LONDON, Feb. l9.-Anthony Eden
standing almost single-handed in the
British cabinet against deal with
Italy. was reported reliably tonight
as ready to resign as foreign minister
in a break with Prime Minister Neville
Chamberlain.
Absence of Mr.. Eden from the cabi-
net would strike a severe blow to the
national governments support. The
white knight of Geneva" who refuses
to be swerved from the League of
Nations way, commands strong Con-
servative backing that might split the
cOuntryS dominant party.
One reliable source reported two
Conservative cabinet members. Minis
ter of Agriculture William Morrison
and Walter Elliot, secretary of state
for Scotland, had stated fatty they
supported Mr.. Eden, leading to belief
they would resign if the foreign secre-
tary quit.
Breach Dwarfs Issue.
Mr.. Eden's preach with the Prime
Minister dwarfed even the tremendous
issue chat caused it-proposals for an
agreement with Italy that might be
construed as British submission to
Fascist strength following so quickly
after Reichsfuehrer Adolf Hitler's deal
with Austria.
The cabinet was held virtually on
first full meeting on Saturday since
the abdication crisis, with instruc-
tions to return for An even rarer Sum-
day council session tomorrow at pm.
90 am, E. S. to. Immediately after
Hitlers pronouncement in the Reich
stag.
The chief element of uncertainty
facing the cabinet-the effect of Der
Fuehrer's Reichstag speech on snarled
international relations-will have been
removed then from what has been
described as deadlock between Mr.
Eden's "League-t -tinged" and Mr..
Chamberlains realistic" foreign pol
icies
Official circles declined comment on
what happened at today's 3-hour-
and-20- minute meeting which had
been scheduled to take up the bargain
with Rome, Germany's 'Mittel Eu-
ropa" dreams and Frances appeal for
action to thwart them.
May Be Taking Lone Stand.
Reliable observers. however said it
would cause no surprise if Mr.: Eden
had opposed an ANY price" settlement
with Italy alone against the cabinets
"old hands nds'-Chamberlain. Chancel-
lor of the Exchequer Sir John Simon,
Home Secretary Sir Samuel Hoare,
Lord Chancellor Viscount .Hailsham
and Sir Thomas Inskip, minister for
coordination of defense.
Thus far, there was no evidence that
the ministers had reached a decision
either on Frances appeal on a settle
ment with Italy or had solved Britain's
own crisis at one of the gravest mo-
ments in Europe's postwar history.
Hitler's heralded speech tomorrow.
1t was believed. would have a vital
bearing on this aspect of the crisis.
possibly inducing the cabinet to sub
merge its differences for a solid front.
Despite strict secrecy on cabinet
discussions. reports in diplomatic quar-
tiers said Mr.. Eden had firmly backed
the French view that the time was
mopportune for any agreement too
closely resembling capitulation to II
Duce.
He was said to feel that Joint Anglo
French pressure was necessary to stave
on Nazi-FaScist domination of Cen
tral Europe. Support for this stand
came from one of Britain's most in
huential labor leaders. Herbert Nor
rison. former cabinet minister and
secretary'of the London labor party.
IT the prime minister is trying to
do a humiliating deal with Sienor
Mussolin on the basis of that gentle
man continuing his war upon the
liberties of the Spanish people," Mr..