Evening star., 1940-03-04
Anglo-ltaliaiIn Ii |
Break Looms In.
Coal Blockade
Rome Protest Warns
London 1898 Pact
Is lmperiIed
~ the Associated Press


ROME, March A rupture Of
the British italian "gentlemen's
agreement" regulating the Mediter-
ranean relations OF the two coun-
tries appeared threatened todAy as
result Of the British blockade OF
Italian sea-borne coal imports from
Germany. .e
Italy. asserting that her interests
were seriously injured" by this
blockade. made public a vigorous
protest against the effects on non-
belligerent nations Of Britain's "eco-
nomic war"
The note, bristling with charges
Of illegality, was delivered yester-
day to the British Embassy. The
coal blockade, it said, "is of q Kind
to disturb and compromise the eco
nomic and political relations" estab-
lished by the agreement April l6,
1898. .,-t,
While the coal blockade was the
immediate occasion for the protest,
the Italian note included o. general
complaint against the entire system
Of contraband control.
Seconding the United States pro-
tests against interference with the
mails, the note called such acts
fragrant violation" of postal secrecy
which the 1lth Hague Convention OF
1907 explicitly intended to guar
antee."
Protest Considered Strsng.
Diplomats considered the Italian
protest strong and the newspaper
II Popolo di Roma described 1t as
measured In form but crushing In
content"
Various informed Italians pre-
viously had seen the blockade as po-
litical pressure to force Italy to sell
England arms instead of agricul-
tural products In return for substi-
tuted Welsh coal.
The importance of the situation
to Italy Is indicated by the fact that
60 per cent of the II 600 900 tons of
coal which she imported In 1889
came from Germany, and most Of
this travelled by sea.
Despite Italy's common border
with Germany. supplies Of rolling
stock now available for coal trans
portation in the two countries are
insufficient to take over the full
burden of the trafnc hitherto car
ried by sea lanes.
In recent months italy has gath
cred approximately 5000 freight cars
in Upper Silesia to facilitate coal
shipments, informed sources said.
but they estimated that these could
hot handle more than 5000, 900
tons yearly-less than half the ton
mage Italy has been importing an
nually from Germany.
Effort TO Strike Twice CHARGED.
The newspaper II Tevere charged
Britain with having attempted to
deliver two blows in one against
, Italy" through the blockade.
with the first seeking to monopo-
lie the products of Italian heavy
industries it obviously was aimed to
disarm Italy under the pretext Of
commercial exchanges" II Tevere
said. with the second England at
tempted through devious means to
acquire the services Of our merchant
marine. Having to go to England
to load coal, IT. is logical that our
ships would transport arms there"
The submission of all maritime
traffic Of acknowledgement countries
to contraband control. the note said,
lis manifestly abusive"
British Protest Reported.
The British were reported reliably
already to have countered the 1tal-
ian protest with one of their own
against treatment of news Of the
blockade in the Fascist press.
The British were understood to
have complained against alleged in
situations that the blockade was an
attempt to exert economic pressure
on Italy to make her agree to ex-
change ornaments for British coal.
Italy's protest yesterday was ac-
companied by the newspaper attack
Of Robert Farinacci, Fascist Grand
Council member. He called the
British blockade reaction to our
refusal to sell arms to- England" !"
and charged that Britain hoped to
fSnn nn0rTsfyT n.-. GN