The Daily Alaska Empire

TENSION EASES ABROAD.
The European situation becomes more intriguing,
and despite the determination of 52 nations to enforce
an economic blockade against Italy on November 18,
the tension in the last few days has actually lessened.
This, apparently, is attributable to two things, the
most important being that France and Great Britain
have gotten together. The other may be the difficulties
Mussolini's forces are encountering in making their
advance into Ethiopian territory.
It is evident now that the British and French are
in one accord as to Italy, and this would indicate that
England has had her way, for Premier Laval was for
a time attempting to flirt with Mussolini. Anything
could have happened in Europe had France decided to
cast her lot with the Italians, but with her on the side
of Great Britain, at least so far as the present situation
pertains, it makes the picture across the water much
less dangerous than it previously appeared. Time only
can tell the ultimate result but the fact that the two
key nations in the League of Nations are in the group
of 52 with which Mussolini has to deal, and with their
own disputes apparently settled, lends weight to the
hope that a major European conflict may be avoided.
The fact that Italy is making slow progress into
Ethiopia, probably due to the lack of roads and gen-
erally intolerable climatic conditions, gives further
reason for Mussolini's recent assertion through his
personal representative, Baron Aloisi, that "Italy does
not refuse peace," although she still insists on right
of expansion, and security in carrying out such a pro-
gram. Those are milder words than the Italian Pre-
mier used a month ago and they indicate Italy is
modifying her original demands.
A great many things may happen in Europe between
now and November 18 when the blockade is due to
go into effect, but the tone of dispatches in the last
few days gives indication that the tension is consid-
erably eased.