Evening star., 1939-05-28

Count Galeazo Ciano signed this week
IN Berlin the Italian German military
pact which binds the two countries to
stand by each other in time of war and
peace.
While the details of this agreement
have not been made public-in totali-
tartan states the public is not per-
mitted to know what their leaders de-
cide-the general belief is that the pact
Is far-reaching. 1t has no time limit
and embraces all phases of both coun-
tries national life. 1t is believed to
provide for reciprocal assistance if either
OF the partners is attacked or attacks.
1t provides for full cooperation between
the land, air and naval forces of both
countries In fact it provides that the
armed and economic resources of Italy
and Germany become one in case of war
There are no Ifs" and butts; it does
not try to define who is an aggressor
and what constitutes an aggression
neither does it take into consideration
the support of any other country.
The signing of the Italian German
military alliance merely places on rec
ord in written form agreements which
have been in effect for Is months. 1t
'legallzes" the presence of German
troops and technicians in Italy and CO.
ordinates the diplomatic actions of both
totalitarian states. Whatever details
may exist outside these general lines
are relatively immaterial.
Important to Diplomats.
While from the practical point of view
the agreement offers nothing new to
the general public, from the diplomatic
point of view it is considered of i'm
portance. It puts an end to the wishful
thinking of the democratic chancellories
which until quite recently still nursed
the hope that "Mussolini can be had"
Diplomats, who as a rule live in the
past, were convinced that the Italian
German combination was a shaky one;
that like in 1915 the Italian government
would WEIGH on It's allies, and if there
was a showdown between Germany
and the democratic states in the near
future, Italy for a price would refuse
to participate in it on Germany's side.
What the price" could be was never
clear. There were vague hints from
London and Paris that substantial loan
for the development of Ethiopia and
participation in the administration of
the Suez Canal and the Adds Ababa-
Jibuti Railroad would provide ample
compensation for Mussolinis neutrality.
Have Little Faith in Latins.
The German government never doubt
ed Mussolinis sincerity But there was
an element of doubt among leading Ger
mans in regard to the loyalty of the Ital-
ian nation in case of a war. The Ger
mans have little faith in the Latins;
they believe them to be emotional and
were worried that in the event of set
back in another European confagration,
the italian people might wish to quit be-
fore the job was over. They were wor-
ried lest propaganda might work up the
italian people into a belief that Italy
was bleeding for the Reich while Ger
many was doing nothing for Italy. In
order to combat this propaganda, Hitler
and Mussolini decided to enter into this
formal military alliance.
The fundamental policy which binds
the two dictators and by implication
makes the present alliance treaty sin
cere instrument is their desire for terri
torial expansion in order to feed the in
creasing population in both countries.
Germany's needs are greater than those
of Italy.
Since the beginning of the last century
Germany developed herself in Europe
as leading industrial country, having
to import its raw materials and support
an ever-growing population.
Population Has Trebled.
The German race more than trebled
itself during the period but, broadly
speaking, it did not expand its territory
except in respect to Alsace and Lorraine,
Schleswig- -Holstein and a few inferior
colonies. 1t was an industrial expansion
IN confined area, the eastern part of
which Is mostly of thin and sandy soil
suitable for little beyond growing trees.
Before the recent establishment of
protectorate over Bohemia and Moravia,
100000 Germans-two-th thirds the pop
ulation of the United States-lived in
largely poor area smaller than the State
OF Texas. The thing was and is almost
incredible. How narrow the subsistence
margin was is expressed in one sentence.
The British blockade of Germany in the
great war is estimated to have directly
caused the death from undernourish-
ment Of 100000 babies-to say nothing
OF other deaths or of a generation of
fickety children.
Beside these facts should be set the
other facts that just to the east of Ger
many are the vast, fertile and, on the
whole, comparatively underpopulated
plains Of the Vistula, the Don and the
Volga; that the Russian system of gov
ernment is unpopular with large num-
bers of its subjects, and that the Ger
mans have been from the time of Tacitus
one Of the principal military races of
mankind.
And finally set beside these is the
human factor that the German race is
= probably, Of all races that have ever in
habited this planet, the race with the