Evening star., 1940-06-27
ItoIy's SpoiIs

Barely fortnight after her "stab
IN the back" declaration of war on
France-on France already all but
crushed and about to ask Germany
Tor terms OF surrender-Italy, too,
has granted an armistice to her
trans-Alpine foe. In broad outline
1t corresponds to the conditions Hit
Ter imposed upon the Petain peace"
government, although Bordeaux con-
trived to restrict Italian demands to
relatively modest proportions, meas
ured by those the Germans imposed
at Compiegne. Naturally, II Duce's
puppet press acclaims his blitzkrieg
as glorious triumph for Italian
arms, although it was virtually
limited to four days fighting in the
Alps against an enemy on the eve
of capitulation to the Nazi war
machine.
Under the circumstances, Fascist
spoilS are not inconsiderable. Their
full extent will, of course, not
be determinable until final Ger
manhattan peace terms are imposed
upon the French. Meantime, the
armistice grants Mussolini military
occupation of only slim border belt
In the Alps, fringing Eastern France
from Geneva to Nice, demilitariza-
ton of French colonial outposts in
North Africa with full rights over
Jibuti, the only sea outlet to Italian
East Africa, on the Gulf of Alden,
and control of the railroad into
Ethiopia. In addition, France must
demobilize her Mediterranean naval
bases at Toulon, at Oran, in Algeria,
at Blzerte, in Tunisia, and at Ajaccio,
in Corsica. Thus Italy has achieved
the first steps toward conversion of
the Mediterranean into mare nos
trum" (our sea-, and absorption of
Frances Northern African possess
sions, on which Fascismo has cast
covetous eyes. The armistice makes
no specific mention of Nice, Savoy,
Corsica and Tunisia, for which
officially sponsored clamor has ragged
In Italy for two years.
In tune with the Compiegne pact
terminating hostilities with Ger
many, the French pledge Italy COM
plete rehabilitation and surrender
Of arms. Italy, too, like the Reich,
"solemnly'' disavows any claim to
the French fleet or, after it's sur
render for internment and disarma-
ment, any intent of using it against
the British-a pledge" described by
Mr.. Churchill in Parliament on
Tuesday as worthless in light of
Hitler's record
The Nazi's ally will now, in servile
obedience to its German masters
voice, grid itself for the campaign
against Britain. It is assumed the
axis powers will deal their heaviest
blows simultaneously. Italy is ex-
pected to hurl her naval strength
and air force against objectives in
the Mediterranean and East Africa,
while Germany deals with the United
Kingdom. MIR. Churchill states that
the French governments agreement
to surrender it's fleet seriously but
not decisively" affects Britains posi-
ton. Combined Franco-B British sea
power might easily have contained
the Italian Navy within the Med
iterranean. If MuSsolini's fleet
no longer has to fear French op-
position, Britains problem-to pre-
serve her life line between Gibraltar
and Suez-is manifestly aggravated.
Britain is encouraged, however, by
unconfrmed reports that substan-
tial units of the French fleet will
ignore the armistice terms.
Italians are jubilant over their
comparatively bloodless and cer-
tainly inglorious campaign against
France. But if Britain can hold out
until winter comes, the economic
strain of prolonged war will be
such as the Italian nation can en-
dure least of any of the belligerents.