"Granting concessions to Germany and Italy won't automatically solve the European situation; but if England agrees to discuss the matter of colonies with them and stands for no hoodwinking it will at least call their bluff." Payson S. Wild, Jr., assistant professor of Government said in an interview yesterday.
Citing the example of Italy's annexation of Ethiopia, a barren acquisition admittedly made to unify the Italian people and provide an outlet for rest lessness in the fighting forces, Wild said that the cry for colonies is only a cloak for Fascism's internal need for an enemy to flaunt before the people.
"Many countries would like more colonies; of course, under the terms of the Versailles Treaty, Germany has a little more to grumble about than most," Wild admitted, intimating, however, that sword-rattling won't stop with the acquisition of territories overseas, that discussion now will avoid trouble later.
Eden Defeat Not Indicative
The decisive vote by which Anthony Eden was defeated after a dramatic clash with his former chief, Neville Chamberlain, Wild does not believe indicative of general sentiment in England since under Britain's electoral aws, the conservative elements are over-represented. Public opinion, he said, is quite closely split on the question of foreign policy.
In general sympathetic with Eden in his break with the Cabinet, Wild said, "He might have been more flexible in his attitude toward an Anglo-Italian understanding."
Of the possibility of Hitler's taking action to rescue the 3,000,000 Germans in Czechoslovakia, Wild predicted that any move will be more in the nature of the "peaceful penetration" of Austria than by open use of force.
Asked if Great Britain were not abandoning a traditional policy in entering the projected pact with Italy, Wild said, "There is no traditional policy of dealing with dictatorships. Nor is there any particular reason to believe that Italy will stick to her word, but orderly discussion will call her bluff on whether she wants colonies or just wants war."
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