Evening star., 1939-03-27
DisiIIusioned Duce

DISIIluSiOneQ OuCe
Premier Mussolini's speech yester-
day gave evidence of discomfort and
disillusionment over the secondary
role Italy plays as the tail of Adolf
Hitler's kite over Europe
Not in so many words, but by
the implications of what he said and
left unsaid, II Duce gave the impress
sion of growing misgiving over the
loot his partner in crime scoops in
while Italy tries yainly to blackmail
France.
Speaking in celebration of the
twentieth anniversary of the found
ing of the first Fascist combat squad,
II Duce laid down five principles of
Italian policy: A long period of peace
for Europe, defense of the Rome
Berlin axis, colonial readjustment
with France, predominance in the
Mediterranean, and heavy arming
Notably absent was any expression
of satisfaction with events in Cen
trail Europe during the past two
weeks. Continuance of the axis, to
which he paid lip service, was sub
jected to an important qualification.
AS expected, II Duce stated his de-
mands on France, but merely named
them-Tunisia, Djibouti and the Suez
Canal--without intimating how far
he expects France to go in meeting
Fascist aspirations. He made it clear,
however, that there must be some
discussion of Italy's claims, and put
the initiative squarely up to France.
But more important, the harangue
revealed II Duce's own doubts and
confusion. Confidence in the axis is
ebbing and the father of Fascism
looks askance at Germany's annexa-
ton of Bohemia, Moravia and Memel,
the quasi-protectorate over Slovakia,
and the Rumanian-German trade
treaty.
Does II Duce revel in his allys
achievements? Does he claim for
Italy part of the glory of creating the
new German empire? Does he take
his place beside Hitler because he be-
1ieves the Fuehrer is right? Not
at all.
There is no evidence of pride In
what Germany has achieved with
1taly's tacit support. What hap
pened in Central Europe was fated
to happen" Mussolini spoke of the
premature and somewhat dishonor-
able end" to which Czecho-Slovakia
came, and declared that because the
democracies weep bitterly over it lis
perfect reason for us not to asso-
ciate ourselves with their more or
less decent tears" What approval
he feels for Hitlers work is more
negative than positive. He hates the
democracies
Mussolini justifies Hitler's coup not
as the natural expression of Ger
many's just aspirations but in the
light of Europe's ancient and modern
history, which is full of aggressions
as dastardly. On the level of morals,
he said, nobody has the right to
throw the first stone"
He taunted Czecho-Slovakia-
which he left unnamed-as people
which had very many men and i'm
mense arsenals" yet were mot cap
able of gesture" Thus it was "over-
ripe for its fate"
His reference to the axis was equal
ly unenthusiastic. If the democracies
coalesce against the authoritarian
regimes the latter, he said, would
take up the challenge and would pass
from defense to counter attack at all
points," but he defined the axis as
the meeting place of two revolutions,
and said that is the basis of it's
strength and the condition of it's en-
durance.
If Mussolini We're convinced that
the axis serves not that purpose but
merely to build a vast new German
empire without commensurate ad-
vantages to Italy the implication is
that he might renounce it, and refuse
to regard stop Hitler" movement as
inimical to Italy, provided it had no
theological character.
II Duce, tiring of Hitler's dizzy swirl
through Europe, may be ripe for de-
tachment from the axis, but he has
price. How much is it worth to the
democracies?