Another Betrayal Probably one of the most dictIlusioned states men. in Europe at the moment is Signor Mussolini. "The spoach which he broadcast throughout Italy on Tuesday clearly proves that to be the case. A week ago Herr Hitler informed him of his intention to resort to force to settle the Danzig problem, and that at a time when Ti Duce was busily engaged in doing his utmost to secure a peaceful negotiation of the Issue. In view of the German action Signor Mussolini fects that his understanding with. the Reich has been violated by the latter, and that, consequently, undertakings given by italy were hho longer binding. Italy has decided to maintain neutrality in the meantime. If ever Italians thought they' were equal partners with Ger-"many in the Rome-Berlin Axis, Herr Hitler's complete disregard of their wishes, concerning, the common policy of the Axis should completely disabuse themselves of the idea. The Azls has been proved now to have been a fereature fashioned for the purpose of serving the ends of Herr Hitler, and Herr Hitler alone. has proved to be no more real than the Anti-Comintern Pact another instrument involving. commitments which Der Fuehrer cast aside like an unwanted glove. In the circumstances 1 Buce's criticism of what has occurred is mild the extreme, for he has been more bitterly betrayed than' was even Japan. The Rome-Berlin Axis no longer exists. Herr Hitler realized that, when he stated that he would not require military assistance from Italy, and that message now stands out in Its proper' signifteance face-saving device, for he must have known ull well that the thwarting of Ttalian wishes for a peaceful settlement could not mean that Signor Mussolini would be dragged, willy-nilly, Into a war of which he clearly. disapproved There Is in all this a warning for the Entente, 'A peace based upon the assurances of Herr Hiller Is in no way likely to be an enduring peace, for if this man will betray his ally, what Will he not do to those who are at present his enemies? Il Dute probably reales by now that he has wandered a long way from the paths of his old friends, and that if he had cause to complain of their treatment of his nation, he has stilt more to behaviour of the man who hi him. It 1s not to be-expected that he will throw in his hand with the Entente, but if he maintains a strict neutrality, during which he eliminates German Influence in'Ttaly, he will have, even at this late hour, retrieved something from the mess in which Herr Hitler lett him.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.