Evening star., 1939-03-27
Compromise Basis
Between Italy and
France Is Doubted
Aim of MussoIini Seen
Expanded Privileges
lnTunisiu
By PERTINAX.

PARIS, March 2T.-(N.AN.A.)-
Mussolini has stuck to his program
Of action, as published by his news
papers when British Prime Minis
ter Chamberlain and Foreign Secre-
tary Halifax were still his guests. He
makes known the Italian claims
upon the French empire on the very
day when Madrid is on the point of
surrender to Generalissimo Franco;
that is. when he believes he is at last
in a position to bring maximum
pressure to bear upon France.
But about the Italian claims, Mus
solini does not do more than men,
ton the succinct headlines-Tunis.
Djibouti. Suez-and he refrains from
saying whether he has in view trans
fers of territory or merely dislocation
of Frances sovereignty through al
location of certain rights to Italy.
1t must be recalled that the
Franco-Italian agreement of jan
uary 7, 1885, which was declared to
have lapsed in Italian Foreign Min
lister Ciano's letter to Andre
Francois-Poncet, French Ambassa-
dor to Rome. on December II, 1888,
had been established on a give-and-
take basis. On the one hand, Italy
promised to safeguard Austrian in
dependence and favor retention by
France of margin of military su-
periority over Germany. Further
more, she accepted an arrangement
whereby the privileged status of Ital-
ian settlers IN Tunis should gradual
ly disappear within 80 years.
Gave Colonial Advangtages.
On the other hand, France under
took to give Italy colonial advan-
tages, in execution of Article XIII
of the treaty of London. which
brought the Rome government
into the World War-firstly, en-
largement of the southern frontier
of Libya secondly, cession of strip
of territory north of Djibouti; third
ly, sale of 1000 shares in the Adds
Ababa Railway, out of a total of
10000.
Today. what Italy asks for is
one-sided treaty. France has moth
Ing to expect from her in Europe.
as she has become closely connected
with Germany, and as regards
Tunis, on the most optimistic as
sumption, insists upon an extension
of the privileges enjoyed by the
italian community there. Far from
contemplating such an extension,
the French government has had to
realize in late years, and has now
become convinced, that the Franco
Italian treaty of 1896, embodying
the privileged status, cannot any
longer be reconciled with contin-
uance for any length of time of the
French protectorate, since it has
consistently been used and abused
by the Fascist power to undermine
French influence in the regency.
Therefore, it is hard to perceive
how a compromise could be reached.
even were Mussolini ready to accept
some middle solution.
Italophiles Misguided.
However, among Frances inveter-
ate Italophiles, voices were to be
heard today recording with satisfac-
ton that neither Savoy nor Corsica
was included in the Italian requests.
But the people who congratulate
themselves upon that fact overlook
the full implications of the theory
expounded by Mussolini as the
background of his assertion that
the Mediterranean is Italy's vital
space. That theory obviously means
that Frances sovereignty over Cor
sica. Frances special interests in
Spanish Morocco ito be asserted in
case SPANS unity could not be re-
established), possession of Malta
and Gibraltar by Britain cannot but
contradict. in the long run, the
fundamental requirements of the
Italian empire.
Thus it was made quite obvious
that. were the Italian claims to be
fulfilled, others would be put for
ward Immediately in an endless
chain.
Meanwhile, the theory of Italys
vital space probably entails Italys
sedulous retention of foothold in
mand sea route essential to France
and Britain.
In French semi official circles
two trends of thought can be dis
tinguished already According to
some, the most eXpedient course
would be for the French government
to deliver note to Italy through
diplomatic channels and compel
her to express her desiderata frank
ly and in detail. But that advice is
hotly challenged by others on the
plea, firstly, that it is contrary to
all preceipts of prudence to hand
over a purse, however small, to a
passerby who approaches with
threats on his lips and big stick
in his hand, and, secondly, that en-
forcement of the treaty of London
is exploited by Italy as pretext,
that she is not out for getting cir
cumScribed advantages, but is de-
liberately acting. after a carefully
prepared plan, whereby she fulflls
her part by the side of Germany
the initial chapter of that plan
having been seizure by the Ger
man Reichswehr of Czecho-S -Slovak
armament, munitions. factories, gold,
labor, etc, so as to obtain speedy
increase of military power. At the
present moment, German war ma
terial is being sent across the Bren-
ner Pass, consigned to the Rome
government.
Difficulties. of Initiative.
In such circumstances, to initia-
ate negotiations with the Fascist
government could hardly make Mus
solini and Hitler still more daring,
as more than ever they would read
in its striking proof of French pus-
illanimity. If II Duce really intends
to come to an all-around settle
ment with France, let him take the
cite wi