Anglo-Italian Agreement Does Not Concern Spanish Situation---Langer

No change in the present equilibrium in European affairs can be expected from the recent Angle-Italian agreement to maintain status quo conditions in the Mediterranean region, declared William L. Langer '15, Coolidge Professor of History, in an interview last night.

"The agreement represents a liquidation of the Ethiopian affair rather than the formulation of a new policy by either Italy or England toward the Spanish crisis. Written in very general terms, it can not have great effect because it makes no effort to solve the problems caused by the attitude of great powers to the crisis."

"It is, however, hard to see," he continued, "how under the terms of the agreement Italy could get any Spanish islands in the Mediterranean. Furthermore, from the rumpus Spain has been raising for the past 200 years about the English at Gibralter, I don't think it likely that she would give Italy any islands."

Germany Still Allied

"The most extraordinary thing about the agreement", Langer stated, "is that on the very same day that it was made public, Italy was reported to have landed more than 4000 troops at Cadiz. This is sufficient proof that the agreement did not aid the British position."

"Italy probably conferred with Germany before beginning negotiations with Great Britain began at all, and there is every reason to believe that they will continue to stick close together just as long as it remains profitable to both, but either one would ditch the other if the occasion arose."

Langer stated that the whole Spanish affair is being used by Italy and Germany as a means of squeezing France and England. In reply to the strong feeling against Germany's sending more volunteers into Spain, shown by England, Germany has continued in its interference with an air of "How much will you give us to quit?"

"Of course", he continued, "Germany may be dickering with Portugal to obtain permission to exploit the latter's colonies in Africa. In such a case they will probably soften their voice in European affairs for a while to please Britain and make her more amenable to the venture."

Langer will speak about the Spanish situation before the War College in Washington on Wednesday, January 13.