Evening star., 1948-12-05
Italian Colonies Issue

A proposal by the American delegation
for a special session of the U. N. General
Assembly to consider the final disposition
of former Italian colonies focuses atten-
ton on one of the most contentious issues
in the postwar settlement.
When Mussolini made his wanton plunge
into World War II, italy possessed con-
siderable colonial empire. That empire
was lost, chiefly to British arms. and at
hrst it seemed likely that 1t would be
treated much like the forfeited German
colonies after World War I. However, an
tagonisms among the victors hindered an
agreed disposition of the colonies through
U.N. "trusteeships" similar to the man
dates" of the League of Nations. Soviet
Russia, especially, threw calculated apples
of discord into the proceedings by demand
ing, first sole trusteeship over Libya and
then Joint trusteeship of the four Great
Powers Both proposals were unalterabfy
opposed by the Western nations, since Ell
ther would have given Moscow foothold
In the Mediterranean and on the African
continent. In addition, Britain had given
assurances to the native populations OF
Libya that they would on no account be
returned to italian rule. even under q
U.N. trusteeship. And those assurances
were reinforced by vital strategic consid-
erations since Libya under British occu-
patton furnished air bases which could
compensate for bases lost in Egypt and
Palestine. It should be remembered that
Libya is now wholly under British control
by right of conquest And perpetuation
of that control Is favored by the United
States for both strategic and political con-
siderations Lbya is, indeed, the crux of
the Italian colonies issue. The distant and
less valuable East African colonies. Eritrea
and Somaliland, are relatively unimpor-
tant in the international picture.
There is however, another factor in this
complex equation. This is Italy itself. De-
feated and humbled though she is, Italy
has become an important political and
theological battle-ground between the West
ern democracies and the Soviet Commu-
mist forces Under the first numbing shock
of defeat italian public opinion appeared
relatively Indifferent to the fate of the
colonies, or at least resigned to the inevi-
liability of their loss. But since then, the
colonies have become an increasingly live
issue with Italians, under the combined
spur of Communist propaganda and re-
viving national feeling. The present mod
crate government headed by Premier de
Gasperi might be imperilled If Italian sem
Sibilities are disregarded in the disposition
of the colonies.
To avert a political crisis in Italy with
dangerous possibilities to the democratic
cause, the Western Powers are considering
the granting of U. N. trusteeship over at
least Italian Somaliland to Italy, with the
possibility of another trusteeShip over Tri-
politania, the western portion of Libya, as
we'll. The calculation Is that this would
be an adequate sop to Italian national feel
ing. But it can be anticipated that Mos
cow will oppose this compromise and that
Communist propaganda will make the
most Of other losses, especially II Britain
should get its desired trusteeship over Cy-
renaica, the eastern part of Lbya, which Is
most desirable for Britain's scheme of i'm
perial defense. . -.
The terms of the Italian peace treaty
provide that If the Great Powers are un-
able to agree on the italian colonial issue,
it shall be considered by the United Ma
tions The General Assembly has been un-
able to consider the matter at its present
session, owing to the pressure of other
important items on its agenda. Hence, the
American proposal that the matter be
taken up at special session early next
year, so as to dispose of matter which
will continue to cause grave friction so
long as 1t remains unsettled