ITALY AND THE LEAGUE
[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR.] SIR,—In order to elucidate the attitude of the Italian Fascist Government towards the League of Nations, I think it con- venientto report apassage of the Memorandum by which the
Fascist Goverment replied to the project of 'European union . - forwarded' by the French Government in 1930:
" . . . A real and permanent participation in the constitu- tional working of the Union should be guaranteed to all the States, which ought to join the European Federal Union. The establiiii- meat of a Council in which . . . only a few of the States are represented does not give this guarantee and, in the opinion of the Fascist Government, puts the minor States in an inferior position. . . . A hierarchical classification of the States would arise which, following the views of the Favist Government,
would cause a weakening in the principle of the absolute integrity of sovereign rights. . . . Therefore the Fascist Government is of the opinion that all the States, without any exception, should have a permanent representation in the Council."
After the decisions of the Grand Council of Fascism on the Italian policy towards the League of Nations, an " inspired " article of the Giornale d'Italia said : "In order to realize the Reform of the League of Nations . . . it is necessary to arrive . . . at the formation of a spirit of discipline and therefore of hierarchy, such as exists in any State in the relations between the individuals and the classes . . ."
And a second " inspired " article of the Coniere della Sera said : • • 4. The essential conditions for establishing permanent peace in European Politics are . . . and the re-establishment of the Hierarchy of • Powers . . ."
Following these three passages, no doubt can exist about the Fascist policy in international relations.—I am, Sir, Sr.c.,
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