NEWS OF THE WEEK
THE Conference of Mediterranean Powers convened by Great Britain and France to concert measures to suppress submarine piracy in Mediterranean waters meets without the participation of Germany and Italy. Germany is, of course, not a Mediterranean Power, but she has, or had, submarines and other warships in the Mediterranean, and it was therefore proper to invite her, in spite of Russia's uncalled- for objections to that step. Russia has supplied the excuse, if not the reason, for the absence of the two Fascist Powers. Italy, at least, was obviously disposed to attend and Germany would pretty certainly have acted in concord with her. But the Russian Note of last Monday, openly accusing Italian submarines of responsibility for the sinking of two Russian merchantships, has had the reaction it was bound to have, and a second Russian Note, reiterating the charges in face of Italy's rejection of the previous communication, has finally confirmed Signor Mussolini in his resolve to have nothing to do with the anti-piracy conference. No doubt by arrange- ment, the German refusal to attend reached London before the Italian. The German contention that the Non-Inter- vention Committee is the right body to deal with the anti- piracy question has no validity. This is no question of intervention in Spain, but of lawless attacks on vessels of all nations by unidentified submarines, which may or may not be Spanish. Special measures must be taken to meet the danger by the States specially concerned in the safety of the Mediterranean as a great international highway.
