IN Wednesday's debate on the coming into force of the
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Anglo-Italian Agreement, Parliament was once again faced by the fundamental difference of opinion between Mr. Chamberlain and Mr. Eden. The Prime Minister insisted that at last a " settlement " had been reached in Spain, by which he meant that the war was no longer " a danger to the peace of Europe " ; he placed much confidence in the assurance received from the dictators at Munich that they had no territorial ambitions in Spain. Mr. Eden rightly pointed out that the withdrawal of io,000 Italian infantrymen cannot disguise the continued and decisive intervention of Italy in Spain ; and that for the dictators the only satisfactory " settlement " which can be reached in Spain is the complete victory of General Franco. The Prime Minister, in his opening speech, did not touch on this conflict between British and Italian views of what constitutes a settlement ; but there is no doubt that it exists, and may still, as Mr. Eden believes, prove to be the obstacle upon which Mr. Chamberlain's efforts to achieve appeasement may break down. On the other hand, if Mr. Chamberlain is genuinely indifferent to what kind of Government emerges from the Spanish war, there is no reason why both he and Signor Mussolini should not be satisfied at the same time. On this view, the real condition which has to be satisfied before " appeasement " in the Mediterranean is achieved is the defeat of the Spanish Government ; and the Government refuses to be defeated.
