Evening star., 1940-02-21
Allies Beginning
To Stop Nazi Coal
Going 10 Italy
Tightening Of Blockade
Result of Breakdown
In Trade TuIks
BY JOHN T. WHITAKER.

CnlcaRo daily news Forelgn Correspondent.
PARIS, Feb. 2l.-Beginning today,
British and French ships will halt
coal shipments from Germany to
Italy, it is learned authoritatively.
The blockade will become immedi-
ately operative against ships leaving
Dutch ports with large consignments
OF German coal for industries of
Italy, which depends entirely upon
imports of coal.
This Is the result of Italy's sudden
rupture Of trade negotiations with
both the British and French. The
allies had offered italy British in
stead of German coal in exchange
for war and other manufactured
materials. The Italians declined,
however, to ship the allies war ma
terials, and they demanded payment
in foreign exchange instead of kind.
Italy cannot operate its industries
unless raw materials are permitted
to pass through the lanes of British
and French warships which control
both entrances to the Mediterra-
mean. German coal was allowed to
pass by sea as we'll as over Swiss
railways.
Italian Ships Expedited.
Even Washington protested that
the allies blockade had discrim-
mated against other neutrals be-
cause of the British French desire to
cause Italy, which is a non-belliger-
ent rather than a neutral, no undue
trouble. Italian ships were quickly
passed through the blockade station
at Gibraltar while American ships
hove to for as long as three weeks
The allies, for instance, agreed not
to search Italian ships for German
passengers if the Italians would
promise to sell no cabins to Ger
mans. The Italians agreed, but
later the allies discovered that Ital-
ian liners from New York were STOP
ping at Portugal where German
passengers disembarked. Having
crossed Spain by railway in order to
avoid capture at Gibraltar, German
passengers re-embarked on Italian
liners at Barcelona. The allies
quickly stopped this subterfuge by
having French ships challenge the
liners after they left Barcelona.
During the. past three weeks some
Is Italian ships have been loading
coal at Rotterdam. Asked in the
House of Commons why the block
ade was letting them through, Rom
aid Cross, British minister of eco
nomic warfare, replied, IA period
has been arranged to enable Italy
to negotiate to obtain its coal from
other sources, and this period will
come to an end shortly"
viii Tighten Blockade.
This period has already come to
an end because of Italy's reluctance
to accept allied commercial offers,
and beginning today the allies are
going slowly to tighten the blockade.
The Italians will get taste of allied
sea power in a moment when Rome
shows every sign of starting pressure
for further allied concessions-con-
cessions which have been made re-
peatedly in recent years, but which
the two great democratic powers,
now that they are at war, seem un-
willing to continue.
The French attitude generally Is
one of wishing that Italy would join
with the allies. But the French feel
that this should be on the basis of
Italian realization that Italy would
suffer as much as any other power
from a German victory. The French
are not afraid Of italian military
strength at the moment and see no
reason. consequently, to buy" Italy.
(copyrisht, 1910, Chicago Daily News, Incl