The Italian Demonstrations
Italy, who in April, 1938, signed an agreement with this country declaring expressly that "any attempt by either of them to employ the methods of publicity and propaganda at its disposal in order to injure the interests of the other would be inconsistent with the good relations which it is the object of the present agreement to establish," is delivering herself over to an increasing orgy of anti-British propaganda, through her controlled Press, the mouths of some of her Ministers and street demonstrations which, whether or not they are officially in- spired, clearly enjoy official blessing. Particularly violent attacks are made on the British contraband control, concerning which America was complaining not so long ago that undue favour was being shown to the Italians. There are three explanations of the manifestations. They may be a calculated diversion, designed to help Germany by confusing Allied plans and dividing British effort ; they may, more probably, represent an attempt (which is unlikely to succeed) to provoke the Allies into declaring war on Italy, who would thus avoid the role of aggressor, or they may be a genuine endeavour to whip up the reluctant masses of Italy for a war about to be declared by Signor Mussolini. The warning issued to Americans to leave Italy is significant. All the Allied naval and military dis- positions against any eventuality have been taken long since, but the belligerency of Italy would create a new Fifth Column problem here and in France.
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