For the moment, however (I write this on Tuesday), the
spotlight has been concentrated upon the Italian end of the axis. One would have supposed that even the most die- hard optimist would now have realised that the Anti- Comintern Pact (fortified on the same Good Friday by the adhesion of Spain) was working upon a long-considered, carefully executed and rapidly maturing plan. Yet already the voice of the professional escapist is being raised in explanation of Signor Mussolini's seizure of Albania. " But did we not," he murmurs, " promise Albania to Italy in 1921? " No, we did not. The Four-Power agreement which was then reached laid down the principle of " the integrity and inalienability of the Albanian frontiers." " But in any case," he persists, " Albania handed herself over to Italy by the Tirana Treaties of 1926 and 1927? " Again the answer is in the negative. " And surely," he suggests, " the Anglo-Italian agreement concluded by Mr. Chamberlain did not apply to the Adriatic? " One can point out that by his invasion of Albania Signor Mussolini has violated seven distinct international agreements or treaties, to four of which we were also parties. The escapist is somewhat disconcerted by a recital of these seven broken undertakings. He falls back upon the most pitiable escape of all ; " Well, in any case," he says, " it was a backward country and King Zog was not by any democratic standards an enlightened ruler." Even so did these same escapists deride Benes in the hour of our betrayal.
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