"Just a Gesture" --- Salvemini Calls Hitler's Visit to Il Duce

"I don't think anything will come out of it," was the reaction of Gaetano Salvemini, Lauro de Bosis Lecturer on the History of Italian Civilization, to Adolf Hitler's present visit with Mussolini. "It is merely a gesture," he declared.

Dr. Salvemini, noted as an opponent of the Fascist regime in Italy, pointed out that half a billion lire, or $25,000,000 has been spent to entertain Der Feuhrer. "Mussolini wants to make a big show," he said, revealing that the Rome-Berlin axis has been unpopular in Italy for some time, even among members of the Fascist Party. He said that it was his belief that most of the real treaty-making and bickering had been done before Hitler's visit, or will be done now that he has departed.

Because Italians were completely surprised by Hitler's move toward Anschluss, the artificialty of the Italo-German accord has been intensified. "The more Hitler says that the Brenner Pass frontier is safe," he said, "the more the Italians are distrustful."

Evidence of Hitler's surprising of Italian governmental circles by his coup in Austria was demonstrated in the Fascist newsorgans, Dr. Salvemini said, showing that when Chancellor Kurt Schussnig returned from his famous showdown with the German dictator, only to make a strong anti-Anschluss speech, the Italian newspapers printed the Austrian leader's inflammatory words on their front pages and editorially commented favorably on his declarations.

Had the Fascist government suspected Hitler's move at all, they would not have thus indicated their disapproval of Anschluss.

Convincing evidence that Mussolini has decided to give Hitler a free hand in Czechoslovakia is also borne out by newspaper items, according to Dr. Salvemini, for Fascist papers have now been ordered to publish anti-Czech articles.

Colonies were attacked by him as a fundamental source of difficulty. "In 50 years," he asserted, "the only happy peoples will be those with no colonies. Even today there is a general restlessness in colonies of the world in the Near East and in North Africa." He said that Mussolini has been taking advantage of this restlessness to the detriment of British and French power in the Mediterranean.

"Mussolini is certain that France and Britan are rotten to the core. The real danger of his foreign policy is his belief that Great Britain and France must always give in as a result of their pacifism."

Mussolini can stay friendly with Britain and France even though he agrees to the Rome-Berlin axis, an apparently contradictory set-up, but only if Il Duce refrains from farther territorial expansion. But, Dr. Salvemini declared, since Hitler has gained enormous prestige by his Austrian adventures, Mussolini must keep the Italian masses contented by more victories, and these, for geographical reasons, must be in the Mediterranean region--in direct conflict with British and French away.

Speaking of the democracies, Dr. Salvemini remarked that, "Pacifism is a great danger to the world now. It is all right only when people are in agreement.