ITALY AND BRITAIN
[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR.]
SIR,—Peace in Europe and British Imperial security alike depend upon the renewal of our ancient friendship with Italy. Britain cannot maintain three all-powerful navies—in the North Sea, the Far East and the Mediterranean. Italy is on the life-line of the Empire.
Hatred is being bred in both England and Italy. On Addis Ababa authority, the Italians are accused of burning churches and crops, violating nuns, systematically exter- minating populations, deliberately bombing hospitals and the Red Cross, and using poison gas.
The Italians reply that, so far from committing such atrocities, they are establishing hospitals, dispensaries and proper water-supplies, isolating lepers, feeding the poor, freeing slaves, setting up schools and supplying ploughs. They also print anecdotes of the Boer War, Amritsar, the bombardment of Alexandria, &c. So the old friendship dies and dragons' teeth are sown.
Britain has just' used tanks and aeroplanes against the Mahmouds, and decorated airmen for work on. the Indian frontier. Yet Italy is slandered for using the same means in East Africa ! And who in his senses can believe that brave airmen, doing most daring work in difficult country, would waste precious petrol and risk their own lives by attacking not soldiers but innocent doctors ? Of course the Dolo affair was an accident, and the Swedish General Virgin. (lately " White Governor " of Abyssinia) has very fairly said so.
The war correspondents at the front (not those who purvey
Addis stories) speak most highly of the Italian troops, and, a group representing England, America, Austria, Poland and France have telegraphed to Mussolini to say so ; I have the message before me. On the other hand, many Press cm- respondents have left Addis Ababa in disgust with its boastings and accusations. A group of American pressmen have issued a manifesto giving reasons for their departure.
There is much more to say but I must have regard foe your space. My object is to beg your readers to cherish an old friendship for a people to whom all civilisation is indebted.
[Old friendships cannot override treaty obligations, such as bind Great Britain through the League of Nations Covenant— which Italy has incontestably violated.—En. The Spectator.]
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