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340

The Communist

only a market for its surplus products, but also a source of man power in the coming imperialist war. Today France maintains one-third of its regular army on the Northern coast of Africa. To guarantee the uninterrupted transport of soldiers from its colonies to the mother country, French imperialism built up a powerful fleet consisting mainly of up-to-date submarines with a long cruising range which is threatening the supremacy of British Imperialism and control of the Mediterranean.

The third imperialist power which is vitally interested in the Mediterranean, Italy, is today as well fighting for supremacy in the Mediterranean. All of the extensive coast line of Italy is situated in the Mediterranean Sea. However, in spite of that, Italy finds itself a prisoner between the imperialist powers of Great Britain and France. Because of lack of raw materials, lack of the most essential commodities needed by the population, it finds itself actually at the mercy of these Imperialist powers.
The imperialist struggle in the Mediterranean is particularly sharp between France and Italy. Italia fascism is absolutely dissatisfied with the division of the spoils of the last World War. The colonial empire f Italy is absolutely insignificant. The colonies which Italy controls in Northern Africa are today of very littler commercial value. Under no circumstances could the present Italian colonies in Africa absorb the surplus population of Italy, which cannot find employment in the mother country and is forced to migrate to other countries. On the other hand, however, Italy sees the vast French colonial empire. Within the close reach of the mother country there lies fertile and rich territory under the control of French Imperialism. This therefore creates a situation where Italy knows that the only way it can secure more colonial possessions in Africa is a the expense of France. Italy is also dissatisfied with the settlement of the Tripolitanian border and the status of Italian born in Tunisia, as well as the status of the Italian citizens in France. In Tunisia the Italian population outnumbers the French by 3 to 1. And because of this Italian fascism insisted that Italians, born and residing in Tunisia, shall not lose their national citizenship.
The retention of citizens born of Italian or half Italian parents is important to Italy, for their national status determines which army they must join in the coming imperialist war. Tunisia, it must be remembered, is a protectorate and not a colony,therefore residence does not determine citizenship. The French, on the other hand, pursuing their own imperialist policy, are doing everything in their power to get rid of Italian schools and institutions. While the French Government is pursuing a fascist terrorist policy against