Evening star., 1920-05-30
FRENCH HOPEFUL
I FOR ALL|ANCESTO
SUPPLANT LEAGUE
Belgium Is Turning From
Wilson Plan in Course
Toward Holland.
ENDS NEGOTIATIONS
OVER PASS WlLLlNGEN
Agreement With France Which
Will Bring Security Seems
Likely.
By PERTINAx.
tHenri Geraud. Editor Of Echo de Paris. }
tBy Cable to The Star Copyright, 1926. }

tBy Cable to The Star. Copyright. 1oao.)
PARIS. May 2s.-The league of na-
tons is decaying with astonishing
speed. 1t is useless to deny it. Bel
gium. the gallant little country
which. without fiinching, took the
worlds burden on her bleeding
, shoulders, seems to have determined
to abandon that which has not been
enective and to seek something
which may not deny her not only any
semblance of reward for her tire.
| mendous sacrifices. but anything in
the nature of assurances Of security
| in the future.
The pourparlers. or diplomatic ex-
| changes OF views, which have been
in progress for more than a year be-
tween Belgium and Holland. have
| been broken off by NJ. Hymans Bel
gian foreign minister and something
real will be accomplished. In the
course of the last few weeks Holland,
having claimed sovereignty over the
Pass Willingen. that part of tho
| River Scheldt which waters the Bell
gjan coast north of the famous Zee
brugge. the Belgian government took
advantage of opportunities for drastic
action and brought pending negotia-
tions to an end.
Alliance With France.
The fact is of the utmost impor.
tance, for it indicates an absolute and
grim necessity before the Belgian
government of something other than
| the league-indeed, of an alliance
with France; and this seems likely
to be signed promptly. This is now
expected by all responsible leaders
to be the first of system of alliances
which will be substituted in the long
| run, and. perhaps, the run will not
be SO very long for the unfortunate
tleague plan. and with which it is COM.
fdently believed the United States
and Great Britain gradually will link
themselves
The action taken by Belgium anu
which, as I have indicated. has SO
large significance brings to an abor-
tive end negotiations designed first
to settle all kinds of transport and
economic difficulties existing between
Belgium and Holland Further and
most important, it ends the effort
through such negotiation to make
Belgium secure against further at
tack by Germany. In 1889 the very
door of the Belgian house, the PROV
ince of Limbourg. was placed under
Dutch sovereignty by the action OF
the then closely-allied reactionary
powers of Europe. Prussia, Austria
and Russia.
Belgium wants, if not to reoccupy
that doorway of her house, at least
occupy it in the future will cooperate
with her in keeping a watchful eve
on that big eastern neighbor who has
proved to be so ruthless and so dan
gerous. In other words. having lost
the opportunity of throwing her
troops into Limbourg in November.
1918, on the track of that German
army which, in retreat. violated Dutch
neutrality by crossing Dutch terri
tory, thus saving their skins and
cheating the Belgians, some of her
leaders felt that the least Belgium
could do was to conclude a military
alliance with Holland which would
make a similar episode impossible in
the future. But the task proved to
be weIlnigh impossible, for the people
Of Belgium steadfastly showed to the
Belgian-D treaty throughout the
entire month during which it has
been ready for signature an opDosi-
ton as firm as that Of the American
Senate to President wilson's plans.
Step Toward World Tranqufllity.
This joining of hands by Belgium
and France is hailed as an important
progression toward world tranquility.
and it 10 agreed that the only OBJ
stacie which has deferred it until
now was supplied by the Wilsonian
ideas.
Belgium has bitterly resented the
fact that in November 1918, she was
held up when on the point of enter
ing the territory of Limbourg. The
pause was ordered by the allied and
associated powers. then very strongly
dominated by the tenets of Wilson.
Later she was greatly disturbed BY
the treatment she met at the HANDS
OK Lno 4OuI, WHICH, 90 a "a Pao~~As1~
exemplification OF tho operation OF
these Wilsonian ideals, she failed to
get effective support in her pour.
pariefs with Holland.
At this time she was considered 40
a power with. limited interests arA
was rebuked. Her memory
went back to the fighting days when
no task had been too great for her
and no expression of gratitude and
from the other powers ana
America too extravagant. She did not
remember that in those days she was
rebuked. All that then occurred
seemed to have been forgotten by the
friends with whom she dealt. Once
at the council Mr.. Wilson actually
professed ignorance of the part taken
by Belgian troops in the East African
campaign against the Germans ana
refused to consider claims for terris
tories which she regarded rightly
hers. The mandate for them weet -
Britain.
The extraordinary scene In which
ICoutInned ON. Pag&2- Colnmn4l