Italy and the Danube Pact In spite of Italy's other
preoccupations preparations for a -conference on the Danubian Pact on which Signor Mussolini sets so much store appear to be making 'some progress, and there is talk of the conference assembling at the end of this month. A great deal, if not everything, will depend on whether Herr Hitler is prepared to associate Germany with an agreement whose main plank is the independence of Austria. He quite well might, on the assumption that if Austria is given a fair chance of self- expression it will set up a regime very like the German, the advantages of union being thereby substantially attained without the disadvantages. If the Danubian negotiations do develop, it is important that discussion of the Western Air Pact and the Eastern Security Pact shall keep pace with them. But it is hard to see how any progress at all can be effected if Italy is at the moment in conflict with the League of Nations. And if Signor Mussolini deliberately violates the Kellogg Pact and the League Covenant; what sort of faith can be placed in his signature at the foot of an agreement on Austria or anything else? If one pledge is broken, why not any other ?
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