Evening star., 1940-04-17
Italian Mobilization
Reported Asked by
Hitler al Brenner
MussoIini Cool
To Proposal to
BIuckmuil France
BY LELAND STOWE.

Dy AGAhND S1O"L,
Chicago Daily News Foreign Correspondent
STOCKHOLM, April II. Wher
Adolf Hitler met Benito Mussolin
on the Brenner March 18 he asked
II Duce to order wholesale mobiliza-
ton of all of Italy's fighting strength
in an effort to blackmail France
into separate peace, after which
the axis powers presumably would
be free to settle accounts with Great
Britain. Der Fuehrers demands
were so excessive and provocative
that they elected a very cold recep-
tion from Mussolini. despite the fact
that he is reported consistently to
have favored entering the war on
Germanys side from its beginning
last September.
In Oslo, when I was there last
week, there were also a great many
people who had come very recently
from Berlin. Most of them were
jubilant, a few of them extremely
so. Without further explanation,
also without hesitation, I have the
greatest confidence in outlining the
following as the four chief proposals
Hitler made to Mussolini:
l. Italy to provide Germany with
30 submarines Immediately.
2. Complete italian mobilization,
3. Italy to send an imposing army
OF 100000 into Libya, use it as a
tWo-Way threat against both Egypt
and Tunisia.
4. Rome to ask Gen. Francisco
Frances consent to disembark sew
eral italian divisions in Barcelona
and place them on the French
Pyreneean frontier-supposedly not
to invade France but to frighten
Paris into common sense" and
withdrawal from the war as Britain's
ally.
Salesmanship Fails.
This information reached me from
such sources that its reliability can
scarcely be questioned. 1t was stated
that Hitler went so far as to urge
II Duce to land divisions in Bar
celona and rush them to the French
frontier even if Gen. Franco refused
permission-but Der Fuehrer was
all the time protesting that he did
not want to fight France. 1t is under
stood that Mussolini recoiled so
strongly from the entire Pyreneean
border suggestion that the Reichs-
chancellor had to drop the idea
at once.
But on the first three proposals
Der Fuehrer did his utmost to try
to convince Mussolini to take the
plunge. Precisely what he offered
the Italians in return I was unable
to learn though it would seem that
Egypt, Malta and perhaps Kenya
would likely be included.
It Is reliably reported that Hitler's
craftsmanship and bait fell pretty
nat during the Brenner conversa-
tions. Apparently Mussolini re-
garded the proposed plan as so ex-
plosive that it would Immediately
drag Italy into the war, and he
was not ready to take the plunge.
Disappointment among Nazi leaders
has not entirely been concealed.
Disillusionment in Oslo.
In Oslo, too, one detected an un-
dercurrent of disillusionment regard
ing Foreign Minister Count Galeazzo
Ciano on the part of many Germans
The explanation for this may we'll
be due to the fact that II Duce's
son-in-law is reported to be leading
conservatives who champion the
policy of keeping Italy neutral as
long as possible.
In view Of the recent furry about
the possibility of Italy being drawn
into the conflict rapidly, as a result
OF Germany's swift military occu-
patton of Norway, the facts about
the Brenner conversation seem re-
assuring. 1t is difficult to imagine
that Mussolini now would hop off
the fence onto the Nazi side while
the development of the conflict in
and around Norway remains so
unpredictable
Many observers also believe that
the drastic reduction of German
sea power through the last weeks
losses must certainly increase Mus
solini's caution, since the fewer
warships Germany has the more
warships the allies would have free
with which to curb the Italian Navy
In the Mediterranean should neces-
sity arise.
(Copyright 1910, Chicago Daily News Inc)