Washington, Feb, 17, Sentiment in Congress on behalf of the large-scale naval construction programme is growing here to-day as new developments in Europe further complicated the unsettled international situation, Responsible quarters here to-were increasingly disposed to regard the Austro-German crisis as evidence of a new Italo-German arrangement whereby Germany would obtain larger sphere of influence in Aus-trio in return for strongly supporting Italy in Mallam bargaining with Britain on the Mediterranean question.
All moves strengthening the European members of the Anti-Communist Pact, officials pointed out, indirectly affect the United States because of repercussions on the balance of power in the Orient resulting from Japan's participation in the Anti-Comintern Pact—United Press,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.