Evening star., 1940-05-02
Mediterranean Mysterv

Mediterranean Mystery
Great Britain's decision temporar-
lily to shift all her merchant ship
ping from the Mediterranean because
OF the danger Of Italian participa-
ton In the war on Germany's side
is portent of the first magnitude.
1t Is mitigated by Premier Musso-
lini's assurance to American Ambas-
sador Phillips yesterday that the
Italians contemplate no warlike
move "at present." but Britain evi-
IDENTIFY does not mean to be caught
mapping. While authoritative cir
cles" In London emphasize that such
measures as detour from the en-
pire's life line will not be continued
any longer than necessary, and it is
hoped circumstances will permit
their cancellation in the near future" {"
no bones are made about the reasons
which actuate them.
His majesty's government feels
bound to take cognizance of provoca-
tive pronouncements "by Italians in
responsible positions and in the Ital-
ian press" These have been unmis-
takably hostile to the allies. As they
would not be possible under the die
tatorship without Mussolini's assent,
IT not by his orders, Downing Street
could not ignore the possibility that
II Duce is preparing Italy for warlike
developments, nor could it afford to
underestimate the significance of
such moves as the sudden dispatch
OF Dino Alf1eri, fanatic promoter of
the Rome-Berlin pact, as Ambassa-
dor to Germany, to replace the eau
tious Bernardo Attalico or the violent
anti-allied speech just delivered to
the Italian Army by Giovanni An
saldo, editor of the TELEGRAPH of
Leghorn, who is in close touch with
the Palazzo Chigi. On Tuesday the
anti-Anglo-French press campaign
famed forth in two editorials in
Regime Fascista, which berated the
Holy See and the Osservatore Ro-
mano for supporting the allies cause
and suggested that the famous Vati-
can newspaper might have to "be put
out of circulation"
The reyerses the allies have under
gone in Norway are clearly linked
with this new outburst Of pro-Ger-
man saber rattling on the Tiber. It
confirms the suspicion that when
Hitler and Mussolini recently met at
the Brenner Pass they discussed
matters far more important than the
Alpine weather. Nazi plans for the
invading of Denmark and Norway
were, Of course, far advanced at that
time. They can hardly have failed to
bulk conspicuously in Hitler's conf
dences to his Italian partner. That
Mussolini conveyed some assurance
OF readiness to take his place in
shining armor alongside his axis ally.
If all went we'll in Scandinavia, be-
gins to seem fairly clear.
Nevertheless, it is still premature
to conclude that Italy is ready to 20
to war. Fascist hotheads may read
weakness or fear into the British
withdrawal OF its mercantile traffic
from the Mediterranean, but neither
Mussolini nor any of his henchmen
are In any slightest doubt Of what
Italy would risk in challenging allied
sea supremacy. It is not too much to
say that 1taly's very existence, Sit
uated as she is, depends upon her
freedom of movement in the Med
iterranean.
There are suggestions that Frances
Spain might join in an Italian move
against the allies. That would be an
embarrassing development, but the
French and the British between
them should be capable of dealing
very harshly with Franco by land,
sea and air.
Coldly calculated self Interest after
all will be the determinant of italian
policy. The time has not yet come
for Mussolini to be sure that, in risk
ing military and naval support of
Hitler. he is hitching the Fascist
wagon to a star. Only this week
II Duce's journalistic mouthpIece.
Virginio Gayda, reaffirmed In Gior-
male d'Italia that mo great power
bases its foreign policy and relations
on romantic feeling expressed in
volatile spiritual phrases. Great
nations defend their interests above
all. They pursue a policy based on
realism and on immediate or future
usefulness. Their rapprochements
with other nations are determined
only by carefully gagged usefulness"
This language can only mean that
II Duce is still waiting to see on
which side Fascist bread is most
thickly buttered-German, allied or
acknowledgement"