[MUSSOLINI BENITO]: (1883-1945) Italian Fascist Dictator of World War II. SNOWDEN PHILIP (1864-1937)

[MUSSOLINI BENITO]: (1883-1945) Italian Fascist Dictator of World War II. SNOWDEN PHILIP (1864-1937)

‘Winston Churchill is strongly anti-Italian,

and is all for going to war with Mussolini’

 

 

[MUSSOLINI BENITO]: (1883-1945) Italian Fascist Dictator of World War II. SNOWDEN PHILIP (1864-1937) 1^st Viscount Snowden. British politician who served as the Labour Party's first Chancellor of the Exchequer 1924, 1929-31. An interesting T.L.S., Snowden, three pages, small 4to, Tilford, Farnham, 21^st August 1935, to the Rt. Hon. G. N. Barnes ('My Dear George'). Snowden thanks his correspondent for their letter and adds that he is in complete agreement with the contents, continuing 'It is a devil of a situation, and I am not at clear what can be done. Only one thing is certain, and that is that Mussolini is determined on his military adventure, and nothing will stop him. The powers have been wasting time in fruitless talk which they knew would make no impression on Mussolini. All this has played his game. Our prohibition of the export of arms to Abyssinia has been outrageous, and if it were lifted now I am afraid it is too late to help Abyssinia. The British Cabinet is to meet this week, and I do not know if they will take any decisive action. I do hear that there is a party in the Cabinet who are for enforcing sanctions. Winston Churchill is strongly anti-Italian, and is all for going to war with Mussolini. I suppose that the stumbling block in the way of strong action by Britain is our alliance with France. This has been the curse of our foreign policy from before the War…..I saw Lloyd George yesterday and he told me that Sam Hoare has asked him to come and see him. This rather looks as if the Government were anxious to get united support for any drastic action they may have to take…..One thing only seems evident and that is that [the] League is going to burst up. I see that Lansbury has written to the Pope asking him to call a world Conference to be held on the Hill of Cavalry where the nations will agree to a general sharing out of the surface of the earth!' and concluding his letter by discussing Lloyd George and the Trade Unionists and also remarking 'I do not think that the Labour Party is making any headway in the country, and I should be surprised if they poll their 1929 vote at the next Election'. Together with a second T.L.S., Snowden, two pages, small 4to, Tilford, Farnham, 15^th April 1936, to George [Barnes]. Snowden states that he is glad to have received his correspondent's letter and writes 'Like you I am dismayed about the international situation. I see no likelihood of a way out of the Abyssinian situation which will not be a victory for Italy at the expense of the League of Nations. For the time being the League is destroyed. Mussolini has successfully defied the League. The other Powers have played a cowardly game all through. They have been afraid to tackle Musso. France has been in league with him all the time. The next few days will bring matters to a head……If there were another Government possible I think Baldwin would have to go'. Two letters of very good content. Some light dust staining and minor age wear, G to about VG, 2

 

George Barnes (1859-1940) British politician, Leader of the Labour Party 1910-11.

 

Snowden's letters are written at the height of the Second Italo-Ethiopian War, a war of aggression fought between Italy and Ethiopia from October 1935 to February 1937. It is seen as an example of the expansionist policy that characterised the Axis powers and the ineffectiveness of the League of Nations before the outbreak of World War II.