The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-03-18

meeting was arranged with that rapid and absolute discretion which always distinguishes collaboration between the Fascists and National Socialists"
 Welles May Be Cause
 It was believed that the confer ence might have been the outcome of the exploratory tour of European capitals by United States under- secretary of state Sumner Welles In any event, Welles was said to have been the only foreign diplomat at Rome, except for those directly concerned, who knew of the meet ing in advance. He delayed his de- parture from Rome a day, supposed ly awaiting Mussolini's return pos- Sibly with some new word of hope regarding Hitler's peace terms which Welles could convey to President Roosevelt.
 Many informed persons here be- Neved that in addition to peace, Hit Ter and Mussolini would devote much of their discussion to the pos- sibility of a Russo-Italian recon ciliation, and to means of strength ening the neutrality of the Balkans.
 As the conference continued, both trains were shunted onto sidings so normal freight traffic could con- tinue. The pass, the lowest travers- ing the major Alps, has been geo. vital since the days of early Rome and now is economically vital to Germany in getting wartime supplies through Italy.
 Two Are Alone
 At noon, an hour and half after they had met, the two dictators were still together. They were completely alone, their foreign ministers, Ciano and Joachim Won Ribbentrop, hav- ing retired to another car.
 Upon Hitler's arrival, a red carpet had been lain hastily over the snow for him to walk on to Mussolini's train. Rows of potted palms were placed along the sides of the carpet and were quickly fleched, incon- gruously, with snow.
 One German official here said: 'The two statesmen are discussing questions arising from the fact that National Socialist Germany is en- gagged in war, decisive in her his- tory, imposed on her by the Western powers. For her part, Fascist Italy, in her capacity of non- n-belligerency but not neutrality, is effectuating for herself the right of her young people to live"
 Secrecy In Germany
 Berlin, March 18.-(UP)-All de- tails of Adolf Hitler's trip to Italy were kept secret today.
 Well informed persons pointed out that since all of Hitler's major con- ferences are worked out in advance to the smallest detail, usually by such associates as foreign minister Joachim Won Ribbentrop, Air Mar shal Hermann Goering and Rudolf Hess, deputy party leader. 1t was more likely that Hitler had gone to put the seal of approval on some deal with Italy already worked ous, rather than to discuss some new project that had arisen on the spur of the moment.
 Most German officials believed that a new and positive demonstra- tion of Rome Berlin solidarity was being worked out. A recent article in German newspapers stressing the striking power of the Italian air. force was even taken in some quart CTS as an indication that Germany counts on Italian military aid.
 Only a relatively few persons here believed the trip was connected with the European tour of United States under-secretary of State Sumner Welles. Some thought its main pur- pose may have been to impress up- on the Allies that their diplomatic position was becoming worse, and to warn them against taking the in- itiative militarily.
 It was suggested, too, that Hitler and Mussolini might plan to join m some announcement regarding the of Southeastern Europe, a joint stand against the Allied troop concentrations in the Near East.