Evening star., 1940-03-18
We|Ies Visits POPE;
Peace Prospects
Believed Topic
American May Receive
Dutu on Hitler Talk
From MussoIini
BY the Associated Press.


ences among men from whom
Europe waited to know whether the
future held peace or more war oc-
CURED today at the same moment.
In one, Adolf Hitler and Benito
Mussolini met in railroad car in
Brenner Pass while a snoWstorm
whipped across the nearby frontier
between their countries.
In the other, Pope Plus XII and
Sumner Welles conversed in the
churchly quiet of the Vatican.
The possibilities of peace were be-
heved to have been the principal
topics of both conversations-held
simultaneously, either by design or
= coincidence.
Accompanied by Taylor.
MIR. Welles, President RooSevelts
fact-finder in Europe, was accom-
panied to the last-scheduled confer
ence of his tour by Myron C. Taylor,
the Presidents own envoy to the
Vatican, and remained with the
Pope an hour.
The two United States diplomats
arrived at the Vatican at 9:48 am in
a Vatican automobile which-con-
trary to custom-flew neither United
States nor Pontifcal flags.
A guard of honor drawn up at the
entrance to the papal palace pre-
sented arms as Mr.. Welles and Mr..
Taylor entered.
After being greeted by the cham
berlain of the cape and sword and
the master of ceremonies, Mr.. Welles
was ushered Immediately into the
Pope's presence.
The ceremonies before their meet
Ing lasted only minutes.
After the audience Mr.. Welles
! visited Luigi Cardinal Maglione,
papal secretary of state.
AS the United States Undersecre-
tary of State left, the Vatican
photographer presented him
photograph taken on his arrival.
May See Duce Again.
Although no further meetings
have been arranged for Mr.. Welles,
1t still was possible that he might
see Premier Mussolini again before
the time for him to embark for
home Wednesday.
There was no indication of what
was discussed in either conference,
whether there was any link be-
tween them, or whether Mussolini
would see Mr.. Welles again.
1t was known, however, that II
Duce informed Mr.. Welles Saturday
of his meeting with Hitler despite
the rigid secrecy which kept both
nations in darkness about their
leaders plans until after they had
left for the rendezvous.
Setting Indicates Importance.
The setting given the Hitler Mus
solini meeting was regarded in Ber-
lin as a sign that it might be an
event of transcendent Importance
for both Germany and Italy.
The two chiefs of state were ac-
companied by large retinues which,
in peacetime, would be present only
on state visits of the first magni-
tude.
Foreign observers here were in
clined to connect the Hitler Musso-
lini appointment with the survey
tour of Italian. German, French
and British capitals which Mr..
Welles now is rounding out with
follow-up talks at Rome and Vat
lean City.
The Brennero meeting offered
Hitler and Mussolini their first op-
portunity for face-to-face consulta-
ton since the start of the war
indeed, their first since September
%, 1888, when Czecho-Slovakia was
partitioned at Munich. Since 1884
they had met four times.
Cool to Peace Drive.
There was a belief in foreign
circles that Mussolini would refrain
from taking part in any so-called
peace offensive unless he received
definite signs of its likely success.
If, on the other hand, Hitler in
tended to discuss plans for a pos
slble spring war offensive, it was
thought that Mussolini would avoid
involving Italy in it.
The outlook for any truce ap-
peared slight indeed to diplomatic
eyes. While there had been specu-
lation for some time as to the pos
sibility of Hitler's offering to restore
a certain amount of independence
to Poland and Czecho-Slovakia
there was doubt whether this would
satisfy Britain and France.
There remained, among other
things, the British-French hostility
to the Hitler government itself.
MI. Welles did not expect any
change in his plan to leave Rome
tomorrow night for Genoa to board
the liner Conte Di Savoia, which
sails for the United States Wednes-
day afternoon.
Secrecy Shrouds Plans.
The closest secrecy shielded plans
for the meeting between Hitler and
II Duce and even the departures of
the two leaders until hours after
their trains had pulled out from
Berlin and Rome.
Aside from Foreign Minister
SldllU, 4N1uOoO1llll "do accompanied
by his private secretary, the head
of the cabinet of the ministry of
foreign affairs, Filippo Anfuso, and
other functionaries of that ministry.
On the same train, it was reported,
was the German Ambassador to
Italy, Hans-Georg Viktor Won Mack
ensep. This led to belief that Won
Mackensen's surprise call at the
foreign Office Saturday while Mr..
Welles and Ciano were in confer
ence had to do with the Brennero
meeting.
1t remained for German quarters
at Berlin to give most body to the
skeleton of speculation on the nature
of the Hitler -Mussolini conference
Observers there expressed belief that
the tense situation in Southeastern