Evening star., 1939-09-08
On the Diplomatic Front

While the German steam roller
still pounds toward Warsaw and the
French, in Marshal Joffre's famous
idiom, keep "nibbling" at the Sieg-
fried Line, momentouS activities are
in progress on the diplomatic front.
Perhaps behind the diplomatic
front" is the apter term, for, stealthy
and yelled as such maneuvers always
are, they are doubly and trebly so in
wartime.
They are being conducted at pres
ent with even more than usual secre-
tiveness because they concern the
all-vital question of Italy's attitude.
All that is positively known is that
Sir Percy Lorraine, British Minister
at Rome, is in virtually unbroken
communication with Count Ciano,
Italian foreign minister. The object
Of their negotiations is not concealed.
Britain, on behalf of herself and
France, seeks a Qualification" of
Italy's stand in the war which the
western powers and Poland have
declared on Germany. MuSSolini has
proclaimed that he does not plan to
take any military initiative on be-
half of his axis ally. Hitler on his
part affirmed that Germany has not
asked and does not need Italy's
assistance. Events are certainly DEM
onstrating the supertluity of Italian
aid as far as the campaign in Poland
Is concerned. The Poles powerful
allies, geographically stymied, are
momentarily helpless to stay the in
vasion
Clearly the British and the French
are not satisfied to permit Italy in
definitely to maintain the role of
comfortable neutrality she has as
signed herself AS inactive bystand-
ers, Italians Cd are in ideal position
to serve Germany as basis of sup
plies, including even oil derived from
Anglo-Persian Mesopotamian sources,
and (2) as neutral the Italian Army
oAi a W dl loOIIllS Cdll
some 100000 or 100000 French troops
from combat operations against
Germany, because they must remain
as protective force along the
Franco-Italian border. These con-
ditions of Italian neutrality" are in
tolerable to the democracies as
long-range proposition.
So Downing Street is moving to
alleviate this situation. That it's tao
tics are to persuade Mussolini, sooner
or later, to throw in his lot with the
western allies cannot be doubted.
Britain and France have powerful
talking points at their command
first Of all, of course, some of the
things Italy Graves, i. e., a share in
the Suez Canal, Djibuti and Tu-
nisia. The talking points include
II Duce'S notorious personal dislike
and Jealousy of der Fuehrer and Ger
many's obnoxious proximity on the
Brenner. They embrace Mussolinis
equally notorious discomfort in the
role of second violin in the axis
orchestra, particularly since the May
military alliance. They comprehend
the fact that war for Germany in
Poland possesses not the slightest
attractiveness for Italy. Finally
there is Hitler's cynical smashing, for
his own purposes, of the anti-Comin-
tern pact. Anything savoring of an
axis partnership with Red Russia is
anathema in Mussolini's eyes.
AS II Duce looks to the future, it
must be obvious to him that he
stands to gain little and lose much by
joining his forces with Germany,
even though the totalitarians might
ultimately win the war. At best, he
could be nothing more than the tail
to Hitler's kite France and Britain,
on the other hand, are in position,
and probably are disposed, to make
territorial and other concessions in
return for Italy's active assistance or
even literal neutrality. If Prime
Minister Chamberlain and Premier
Daladier can convince Mussolini of
their willingness to satisfy his rea-
Sonable demands, it is more than
possible that he will refrain from ex-
posing his relatively vulnerable coun-
try to British French attack.