Evening star., 1919-11-30
RETURN OF ALLIANCES
EXPECTED IN EUROPE
Death of the League of Nations and Peace
Under Old Order of Balance of Power
Predicted by Mr.. Simonds.
BY FRANK H. SIMONDs.


II HE defeat OF the peace treaty
will have certain consequences
as far as Europe is concerned
which will not be modified by
any later ratification. Chief among
these consequences will be the total
| discrediting Of the league of nations
The United States Senate may or may
| not have killed the treaty of Versailles
so far as American participation is con.
cerned. but it has destroyed the league
Of nations And with this destruction
| the way is cleared for a European re-
| turn to that system of the balance OF
power which for centuries has been the
tory.
Senate's Action Never Foreseen.
That the American Senate might re-
Ject the treaty never for a moment OBJ
tained even respectful hearing in Paris.
In France and in Britain foreign af-
fairs are outside the sphere of opera
tions OF party politics and the American
situation was ignored. Moreover, Paris
was filled with the friends of the admin
istration and the champions of Mr.. Will
sons league, who consistently report
ed. and many of them at least honestly
believed, that the league of nations
project would receive American sane
ton when the Senate at last received
the treaty.
l am going over this fairly familiar
ground once more because only by re-
ton in Europe. The situation was lust
this: Europe wholeheartedly desiAed
american aid; Great Britain unreserf-
edly sought a new and better under
standing with America and hoped for
american participation in world ad-
Tor American friendship, necessarily
thought also of material things, such
as new German attacks and possible
european combinations growing out of
Italian and Rumanian disappointment
now the action Of the Senate de-
stroys the whole British conception
OF the American situation 1t dis
closes an opposition to the President
which must pass all British concep-
tions. 1t reveals the fact, not even
suspected in Paris. that British sup
port of the President, however much
appreciated by that portion of the
American public believing in the
league of nations and approving of
the Presidents course. necessarily
rouses the antagonism Of the Presi-
dents opponents.
Analysis OF Senate's View.
The defeat of the treaty in the Sen
ate was not the result of any devia-
tion from the Presidents fourteen
points: the battle was not fought or
the Sarre Basin or Danzig, it was won
and lost on the question of American
participation in European affairs, and
the result strikes at the heart of the
whole thing. for it was to obtain
American cooperation and American
participation. that Europe accepted
the league.
We may expect then. as I have said
that, seeing the situation as it is. the
British and the French will proceed to
a new agreement. President Poin-
cares recent trip to London was ac-
cepted abroad as the first step in
that direction. France and Great Brit
ain will proceed to formulate terms
of alliance. since both will be equally
menaced if Germany takes up arms
again. They will agree to defend the
integrity of Belgian and French soil
by force of arms and to maintain ar.
| mics sufficient for this task.
But will the British continue to in
! sist that the French surrender the
| left bank of the Rhine few year:
hence, and submit their occupation
| of the Sarre to plebiscite. when boil
courses may bring German troop!
nearer to the channel and make the
/ line on which the British will have
! to defend themselves next time hftJ
or a hundred miles nearer to the
Straits of Dover, from the eastern
| shores of which Big Berthas coule
| lombard London? 1t was all right te
| insist that the French do this wher
such a retreat was the price paid FOL
| the promise Of two millions more OF
American troops. available against 6
German aggression. But these troop!
| seem less available now. while the
| German is still there.
Enxland and France May Agree.
In any event France and Grea'
Britain have to agree upon the terms
/ of an alliance, which will include thu
defense of the soil of France. Belgium
and Luxembourg. Great Britain ma!
still advocate the Wilsonian doctrine
| of abandonment of the Rhine barrier
but any such advocacy will have t.
carry with it specific pledges in thu
matter of British divisions, available
on the first suggestion of new Ger
man attack.
France and Britain will then hav'
| to consider the case of Italy. If 1tal!
Joins Germany in a new war. Franco
and Britain cannot hope for victor!
and without American aid will proba
bly, be doomed to defeat. Therefore i
is essential that Italy be brought int
a new alliance. such as the last wal
| created. But this can only be done BY
regions. but particularly in the Adri
attic. Anglo-Freneh opposition te
these claims was at bottom basee
upon the policy of following Mr.. Will
son, but with Mr.. Wilson out of the
situation and conditions and not the
ories confronting British and French
statesmen, who can doub the decision
in Downing street or at the Qua
D'Orsay?
We Shall have then an Anglo.
French Italian alliance, which will bt
the successor of the old Anglo
French Russian alliance against Ger
MANY Rut such an alliance will bt