Too great an emphasis need not be attached to Italy's reluctance to Join with Great Britain and France In the demarche to Germany regarding Nazi propaganda in. Aus-{ria by means of radio broadcasts Jand leaflets dropped from aeroplanes. The action of the Italian. goverament is probably correctly "inter preted by the Turin "Stampa" in the spirit, if not in the terms of that newspaper's comments. It may very well be that the signing of the Four Power pact does require somewhat different action and language from what might have been usual ten years ago, but it does not do away with principles which have already been established, Nor can it possibly permit the reduction Austria to an appanage of Ger~ many by the creating of an overwhelming Nazi sentiment in th former country. The only point that arises, therefore, is whether a dé- iavehe signed by Britain, France Jand ttaly is a more prudent method of procedure than to wait until the activities of the German Nazis in Austria produce a situation much more serious thas it is at the pre Obviously, if the Four is merely to be an me behind which anyone the contracting parties could do which otherwise would speedily bring forth remonstrance, itis not so great a. guarantee of pence as at first it was hoped would be. To suggest that a dé- marche, to-day, forms a flagrant! violation of the mutual confidence Jand respect upon which the pact is based, is to side step the duty looking squarely at realities, and, though the document may amount. to no more than putting an express sion of opinion on record, it. seems. preferable that this should be done at this stage than at a later date when positions might have bee Teached from which there. could be he
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.