Evening star., 1939-09-10
Allies Bid Duce With Warming
OF Join Us or Be Smashed
Even If Italy Joins Germany and War is Won She
Will Get Only Hitlers Leftovers,
Mussolini Told
Bv Constantine Br0wn.

most reliable quarters, the diplomats Of
the western democracies are using every
conceivable strategy to gain Italy on
their side. Mussolini is told what he
already knows: That if the Germans
win this war Italy will be nothing but
a vassal state of Germany; that the
Italian Trentino and the Italian Tyrol
will have to be handed over as grace
fully as possible to the Germans and,
in the event of partition of the Afri-
can empire of the defeated "democra-
cies" (absurd as this may be, say the
British and the French diplomats), the
Germans will take the cream and Italy
will get the SKINNED milk-sand dunes
in Tunis and Western Egypt. The Brit
ish and the French diplomats are tell
ing II Duce that bird in hand is worth
two in the bush; that in the event of
most problematic victory of Germany,
Italy would actually lose more than she
is gaining. On the other hand, if Mus
sohni eventually throws in his lot with
that of Herr Hitler and shares in the
latter's defeat, she would lose everything
that II Duce has managed to build up
for Italy in the last 18 years A defeat
of Italy on the side of the Reich must
inevitably mean the restoration of the
Ethiopian empire and the loss of Libya
and Tripoli.
Want Straight Answer.
1taly's temporary neutrality Is not
likely to satisfy either the British or the
French. They want a straight answer
from Mussolini Italy cannot remain
neutral, they say. Either she is with or
against the allies. In the former case
ali the promises made in Rome will be
made good at once. In the latter, Italy
will have to bear the consequences of
terrific war. The allies are making no
secret of the fact that they contemplate
making Italy the target of their main
military effort: that they intend to break
through the Italian Riviera and possibly
through the Alps in an effort to an
nihilate the italian military power; that
their entire military and naval might
will be applied against Italy since they
do not wish to violate, at this time, the
neutrality of Belgium and the Neither
Siegfried line. These facts were told
bluntly to II Duce and steps have been
taken to convey them to King Victor
Emmanuel. 1t is considered significant
here that Field Marshal Badoglio, who is
considered Italy's best soldier, has re-
signed because he does not believe that
his country should enter into a war on
the side of the Germans.
From the strategic point of view, it is
essential for the French and the British
to gain Italy on their side, if they want
to shorten the war.
It is immaterial to the allies if Italy
actually fights on their side or not. But
it is of the utmost importance for the
British and the French to be able to
enter the Adriatic Sea with their ships
and transports. They are convinced that
both Yugoslavia and Rumania would be
on their side the moment allied warships
and transports appear on the Yugoslav
coast.
Despite the naval superiority of the
French and the British they cannot enter
the Adriatic if Italy is hostile. A
friendly Italy will raise no objection to
the penetration of that sea, and if Ru-
mania and Yugoslavia can be sure of the
effective assistance of the British and
the French, they will join them and the
Reich would be cut off from the main
source of supplies, which makes Hitler
smile when he is told about blockade
of Germany. The entire picture would
change overnight if Italy can either be
induced or coerced into abandoning its
| German ally.