Momentous Question

Tight-lipped Prime Minister Count Stephan de Bethlen hurried back to Budapest last week from Rome. On his flying visit he had lunched with Il Rex, had talked several times for several hours with Il Duce, once for an hour and a quarter with Papal Secretary of State Cardinal Pacelli.

As usual Hungarian newspapers were kept ignorant of what the secretive Count had done in Rome. But obedient Fascist editors were told they might hint that Count Bethlen had asked Signor Mussolini in substance this question:

"Is Italy now prepared to help Hungary obtain revision of the more onerous clauses of the Treaty of Trianon, which she was forced to sign by the Allies (including Italy), when Austria-Hungary was defeated and broken apart after the War?''

The momentous answer of Il Duce, the editors were permitted to hint, was affirmative. Significance: it would appear that Italy, just now especially piqued by France at the London Naval Conference, has de- cided to strengthen and confirm the ring of "Balkan Allies" which // Duce has been forging with Hungary, Bulgaria, Greece and Rumania against the French entente with Jugoslavia and Czechoslovakia.

Roman newsorgans. while conveying what their editors were told at the Foreign Office in mere hints, definitely announced last week that Count Bethlen and Il Duce arranged for the immediate organization of an Italo-Hungarian steamship line to operate from the Italian port of Fiume. to provide adequate transport to Mediterranean markets of Hungarian wheat.

fin a recent British newspaper contest to dis cover the great personage who has the shortest title and address, the winner pointed out that to address correctly and respectfully an envelope to King Vittorio Emanuele of Italy requires the expenditure of but eight letters from which are formed three words: IL RE ROMA -

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