Me Too!

Just a year ago Germany and Japan entered into a notably loose treaty against the Comintern, or international federation of Communist Parties, which promotes the "World Revolution of the World Proletariat" (TIME, Nov. 30). This treaty is carefully drawn so that technically it is not directed against Russia, and for that matter Russia is not technically behind the Comintern--these two transparent subterfuges nicely balancing each other. Last week in Rome, while Moscow was celebrating Bolshevism's 20th birthday as a State (see above), a peculiar ceremony was performed. It did not suit II Duce simply to bring Italy into the anti-Comin-tern Pact of Germany and Japan under the clause which permits any country to join them. If Italy was going to join she had to have something special, and this was what last week Premier Mussolini insisted upon and got.

The document signed by Italian Foreign Minister Count Galeazzo Ciano, by Japanese Ambassador Masaaki Hotta and by German Ambassador Joachim von Ribbentrop last week declares that "Italy will be considered an original signatory of the pact" between Japan and Germany, although it was signed last year, and that Italy's signature last week is "equivalent to signature of the original pact." Ambassadors Hotta and von Ribbentrop, having signed this ludicrous concession to a Dictator's vanity, were each rewarded by Vittorio Emanuele III, King and Emperor, with the Grand Cross of the Order of Saints Maurice & Lazarus.

Tokyo papers predicted "Poland will sign next," and a parade of Japanese citizens carrying paper lanterns past the Foreign Office in Tokyo was said to express their "joy." Italian papers lyricized about Japan, but only in Germany was anything drastic-- and concrete done against the Comintern last week. In Berlin the necks of three convicted agents of the Comintern were severed by the guillotine which has now replaced the Nazi headman's axe.

Significance. Poland was not expected by competent European observers last week to sign the anti-Comintern Pact, since for Polish Dictator Edward Smigly-Rydz this would be equivalent to sticking his head between the jaws of his neighbor the Russian Bear, while giving it a clout in the ribs.

Portugal was considered likely to sign.

The anti-Comintern Pact is so loose that last week's pen squiggling in Rome was little more than a gesture, less important than Mussolini's visit to Hitler (TIME, Oct. 4), but a gesture timed to come on Bolshevism's Birthday.

The night after the anti-Comintern Pact was signed Italian, German and Japanese officials went to a splendiferous champagne and caviar banquet at the Soviet Embassy in Rome, and to this merry celebration of Bolshevism's 20th Birthday (see p. 22) Ambassador Hotta lent color by attending in brilliant Japanese native dress.

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