Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-10-29
Pressure on Portuga
Seen as Axis Next
Anti-U, :. Move
Extension of Control CT
Coasts Is Envisioned
Against War Possibility
By the Associated Press.

ROME. Oct % - Foreign circles
expressed belief tousy that axis
pressure soon may fall on Portugal
in a diplomatic drive to obtain con-
troll of the whole west coasts OF
Euro pc and Africa in preparation
against the possibility oil the United
States entering the War
The meeting at FlCl ence yeSter-
day of Adolf Hitler ara Benito Mus
solini, Italian soLrcec Indicated, was
a step toward final settlement with
France which would make French
bases, and possibly the French Navy,
available to the axis powers.
Next, they said probably will be
direct peace negotiations between
Italy and France Mussolini re-
turned to Rome today
Hitlers meeting last week with
Spanish Generalissimo Francisco
Franco was interpreted in foreign
quarters as aimed partly at Portu-
gal, long a friend of Britain.
Extension of Control.
Germany now has control Of the
Atlantic Coast from Norway to
Spain and, with Spain now in her
orbit. might expect to dominate the
African West Coast also, including
Morocco, the Spanish colony of Rio
de Orc and French West Africa.
If Portugal also came in, they
reasoned, the axis also would have
her Azores and Cape Verde Islands
Thus, virtually the whole coasts OF
both continents would present a
hostile front to any British or
American landing parties.
Possibility that the United States
might be involved by next spring
was believed in foreign circles to
have inspired the diplomatic move
since, they said. the axis always
has been prompt in preparing for
any contingency, no matter how re-
mote.
Italian Foreign Minister Count
French Vice Premier Pierre Laval
within a few days, and it was be-
lieved a meeting between Mussolini
and the French chief of state, Mar
shall Philippe Petain. might follow
More Events Forecast.
These predictions were borne out
by Count Ciano's newspaper, II
TELEGRAPH of Leghorn, which said
yesterdays meeting between Hitler
and MuSsolini was only the first of
a series of diplomatic events now
in preparation"
CReports from Vichy said Vice
Premier Laval, strengthened by
taking over the Foreign Minis
try portfolio, left there last night
for Paris for important discus
sions expected to bear fruit this
week.
(Authorized German sources,
however, said in Berlin last night
reports that Hitler and Musso-
lini had discussed possible use of
the French Fleet against Britain
were absolutely untrue.)
A preliminary plan for negotia-
tons with the French was worked
out during Hitlers meeting with
Mussolini in the Bremen Pass Oc-
tober 4, informed sources said.
Giovanni Ansaldo, editor of Count
Ciano's newspaper, wrote that CON
crete possibilities" apparently re-
suited from Hitler's first conference
with Laval, Marshal Petain and
Generalissimo Francisco Franco of
Spain.
The axis chieftains, according to
Ansaldo. yesterday discussed these
possibilities which, he said, involved
the division of African colonies with
Spain.
This was interpreted in foreign
circles as meaning that the French
had agreed on a basis for settlement
which possibly involved scaling down
the Italian claims for French terri
tory. although the Italian radio
denied Italy had been asked to re-
linquish her claims on Nice and
Corsica.
Since the availability of the
French fleet was expected in for
eign circles to be the real basis of
any settlement, some observers
thought Hitler and Mussolini also
might have discussed whether Ger
man or Italian crews would man
the French vessels, in the event
they went into action for the axis.