Evening star., 1940-03-19
Shadow or Substance?

Concrete developments, which
may or may not be imminent, will
be required before the world will
know what happened at the Bren-
ner Pass yesterday. The binding
snowstorm amid which the dictators'
railway coach confabulation took
place typifies the secrecy which en-
velops their two-hour- -and-ah half
conversation. Dispatches from the
scene itself, from Berlin and from
London are a medley of conflicting
speculation, distinguished by a Ger
tain shadow of plausibility and even
OF probability, but which, on close
scrutiny, prove to be wholly devoid
Of the substance of established fact.
The feature of the Hitler-M Mus
solini conference which attracts
most attention in Washington is its
palpable link with Mr.. Welles' pres
ence in Rome. The Undersecretary
OF State was to have left Italy today,
following an audience with the Pope
and formal call on II Duce, but his
sailing was postponed until tomor-
row. The reported purpose is to give
Mussolini opportunity to divulge to
the American such details of the
Premier's visit with Hitler as it seems
expedent to impart.
AS Mr.. Welles saw the Fascist
chief in Rome for the second time
on Saturday, Italian sources pre-
sumo" that Mussolini was in position
on Monday to acquaint Hitler with
the latest allied peace aims as the
Washington diplomat absorbed them
in London and Paris. Mr.. Welles,
however, is a prince of discretion,
and he has repeatedly stated that
his findings are exclusively for the
ear of President Roosevelt. 1t may
we'll be doubted whether our astute
Undersecretary of State thought it
within his province to repeat to the
head of enemy Germany through
her axis ally what must have been
said in Downing Street and on the
Quai d'Orsay in profound confidence.
Berlin wants America and the
allies to believe that the uppermost
topic at the Brenner was twofold.
The Associated Press well-informed
Berlin correspondent, Mr.. Louis P.
Lochner, reports that the extension
of the Rome-Berlin axis to Moscow,
converting it into a Rome-Berlin-
Toxic Moscow axis, and the possible
eventual participation of Italy in the
war on Germany's side, were "the
main apparent results of the Bren-
ner meeting"
A Russo-Italian approchement,
which would be as strange bed
fellowship as the Hitler-Stalin en-
tente, presumably would involve
careful delineation of spheres of in
terest in the Balkans. Hitherto,
Rome has viewed with undisguised
displeasure the prospect of Soviet
penetration of Southeastern Europe.
But If Hitler is selling" Mussolini
the notion of cooperation with Sta
lin in the Balkans, there is assuredly
some kind of understanding that the
territorial or economic sWag-if, as
or when-shall be divided. Equally
logical is the expectation that if
Italy abandons the status of non
neutral but one yet not waging war"
Germany has a deal with her to
crafty well-knoWn italian terri
torial longings in case the Nazis de-
feat the western powers with Fascist
aid.
All and sundry of these contin-
gencies belong in the realm of con-
lecture. Sumner Welles is a shreWd
and seasoned analyst of diplomatic
complexities. BY the time he reaches
Washington next week he will doubt
less be ready to submit to the Presi-
dent some X-ray pictures of situa-
ton now wholly blurred and dis
colored by a melange of wishful
thought and devious intrigue.