ITALY: The Dux Cultivates Caution

" I am hopeful," said Mussolini to the Council of Ministers at Rome, " that economic relations between France and Italy will be intensified, but all of this has nothing whatever to do with a tangible alliance. To engage ourselves in any way with any power at this moment when the whole Entente is passing through a crisis would be plunging the country into an unpardonable adventure."

Only a few months ago, at the time Italy decided to throw in her lot with France on the Ruhr problem, Mussolini strongly favored a Continental bloc composed of Italy, France, and subsequently Germany. This was when the great Premier looked upon Great Britain with some disfavor.