Evening star., 1921-12-23
NEW 4-POWERPACT
IN EUROPE WOULD
INCLUDE GERMANY
Great Britain, France and
Italy Other Parties in Re-
ported Move.
UNPROVOKED AGGRESSION
GUARANTEE is AIMED AT
Strong Opinion Prevails That
Greater Friendship Must Be
Shown Former Enemy.
NV D&XID LAWRENCE.
ny DAVID LAWRENCE.


Word has reached here through un-
oriciaI channels of a movement uhuel
WAY in Europe to bring about ne"
four-power treaty. whereby
Hritain, France, Italy and Germany
should agree to guarantee one ano'n
,.'s territory against "unprovoked as
-vession" by any other power
This plan. which, curiousiy ehous H.
oy,s its inspiration to French otpio-
11acv. seeks way to remove the ous
,,r of a possible invasion by Ger
,,,nv which has been held forth as
Justification for the continued eAis'
,,.,c of large standing armies on lie
continent of Europe. Broadly SPEAK
;.,r the French liberals who are oiNh
e.: ths plan believe the time mas coiie
to bring Germany into compiha'ion
with the other powers Whleh Will
,ranGuillize Europe and aid lts ecu
nomic recuperation.
To Brighten ReparntiOn Burden
In one sense, the plan recognizes the
unwisdom of the enforcement clauses
of the Versailles treaty with lts re-
curing penalties of occupation OF
German territory in the event OF Ger
man failure to pay indcmnities. Inc
idea now is to obtain some unanim'ts
of opinion among the larger powers
of Europe so that the reparatlon our
den NAV be more equitably adjusted
and so that Germany herself Will
adopt a new spirit toward her obllsa-
tions under the Versailles pact.
The United States government WILL
of course. not be party 10 Sucn
new treaty in Europe. as 1t Is tne
viewpoint of the Harding adminiStra-
ton that guarantees against aggres-
sion on the continent Of Europe are
strictly European matters. On the
other hand. the American govern'nen. en-.
would lend its moral support to any
movement which accomplished peace
in Europe. The suggestion OF a FOUR
power pact. including Germany, was
first discussed informally when Pre-
mier Eriand was in Washington.
Must Include Germany.
MIR. Harding has informally indi-
Gated that before long the European
powers would have to include Ger
many in their discussions of Euro
pean questions and that until Ger
many sat down at the same table
with France and Great Britain there
would be no assurance of settle
1nent of pending problems. especially
reparationS.
In the conferences which have been
going on in London. the French view
point has been that until Great Brit
ain gave France explicit guarantees
that she would come to the aid of
France in the event OF an attack ny
Germany, there could be no curtail-
ment Of French land armament or
concessions to Germany. The British
have declared that the withdrawal
of French troops from the Rhine
country would help to assure peace
in Europe.
The French having failed to get n
three-power pact with Great Britain
and the United States guaranteeing
France against unprovoked agrees
sion. the alternative is to obtain such
guarantee for France by coupling
it up with a German guarantee, too
No Opposition Expected.
French liberals who favor the plan
see no reason why their own govern
ment should object to it, since to re-
fuse to give pledge that would guar
.ntee Germany against attack by
France might imply an ultimate in
tcntion to do so on the part of the
French imperialists. Great Britain
would of course. be willing to guar
:intee that she will not attack Ger
many and the latter would be bound
to keep the peace, for automatically
she would incur the hostility of Italy,
France and Great Britain if she at
tempted unprovoked aggression. 1t
Is. indeed, an attempt to produce a
status such as might have prevented
The outbreak Of war in 1914. for it is
still being said that Germany would
never have gone to war If she had
been sure that England would help
France and Belgium. Incidentally,
the mutual guarantees would include
Belgium. and assure her of neutrality
and independence. if the plan is final
ly approved.
official Washington is keenly inter-
ested in the conversations going on in
Europe with reference to the new
four-power pact, and it is expected
that after the supreme council meets
in Cannes some definite idea of this
scheme or an alternative having the
same object will be disclosed.