Evening star., 1941-02-12
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated fTeSS'
BERN, Switzerland, Feb. 12.-
Premier Mussolini conferred today
with SPANS top-ranking leaders
somewhere in Italy" it was re-
ported by foreign diplomats, and
tomorrow the Spaniards will meet
with French Chief of State Petain
and his No. / lieutenant, Admiral
Jean Darlan.
The heavily guarded travels of the
Spanish generalissimo. Francisco
Franco, and his brother-in-law for
eign minister, Ramon Serrano Su-
ner, held the probability of a
startling turn in the European war
But what was afoot was still con-
iectural with the conjecture rang
ing from peace efforts on behalf
of Italy to the other extreme OF
solidifcation of axis strength in Eu-
rope through acquisition OF Span
ish and French bases for operations
against Britain in the Mediter-
ranean.
CThe possibility that Musso-
lini actually sought dispatch OF
a Spanish legion to one Of 1taly's
waterfronts was advanced by
British diplomatic sources in
London.
The Berlin spokesman held
that the Franco -Mussolini meet
ing was none of our affair" but
laughed at the suggestion that a
Brtish-Italian peace proposal
was in the air)
Some reports pictured the Span
iards as reluctant to return the
favor of axis help given to Gen
Franco in the Spanish civil war
Frances reluctance to yield bases
has long been discussed.
Petain at Cagnes.
The old marshal of Vichy, Philippe
Petain, arrived at Cagnes, France
near the Italian frontier, on his
special train ana Navy Minister
Darlan was reported to have left
Vichy by automobile to join him for
the talks tomorrow with Gen. Franco
and Serrano Suner.
Marshal Petain has an estate at
Villeneuve-Loub near Cagnes, and
the announced purpose of Marsha!
Petains visit was to inspect i'm
pTovements to the estate on a "a
hour holiday. This Riviera estate
is likely meeting place for the
French and Spanish leaders.
Gen. Franco and Serrano Suner
were said to have crossed into Italy
late yesterday after a trip across
Southern France in a 20-automobile
procession. The Spanish automo-
bile caravan was protected heavily
by motorcycle police as it went
through Montpelier, Marseille and
Nice Some observers said the safe
guards were taken because a large
number of Spanish Republicans
had taken refuge in Southern
France.
Doubt Duce Ready for Peace.
1t also was reported that France
chief of state asked for a confer
ence with Gen. Franco when he
learned the Spanish chief, at whose
capital he once represented France
as Ambassador, would cross French
territory on the Italian trip.
Diplomatic quarters in Bern eX-
pressed the belief Mussolini was not
ready to talk peace with Britain,
and that it was more likely II Duce
would exert pressure on Gen. Franco
for immediate and effective Spanish
aid in the Mediterranean campaign
MuSsolini, it was reported, sent
Gen. Franco a note a few days
ago asking the Spanish leader to
return aid the Fascist armies gave
him in winning the Spanish civil
war.
Some diplomats expressed the be-
lief Gen. Franco still was not willing
to plunge Spain into war and trav-
eled to Italy to explain his reasons
to Mussolini in person.
Accord Is Expected.
While Spanish sources in Vichy
said they expected a Spanish axis
accord to emerge from the meet
ings. other quarters speculated on
the possibility of pressure on France
(See PARLEYS, Page A-4)