The Washington herald., 1922-06-25

menian states In common resist-
ance to the Hungarian menace and
with Rumania It shares . BuiEarian
oanger. Moreover. on the Austrian
size. II shares Cxecho hostility to
any union Of Austria with Germany
Tor obvious reasons.
Popuiation Of 10000, 600.
These three partners. OF the little
entente represent collectively a
population OF more than 4o.o0o.oo0
that Is. larger than that of France
and can put at least 5000. 900 train
ed troops In the field on mobiliza-
tion. They are not only united by
common dangers. but they are also
bound together In a common deter
mination to preserve intact those
treaties made at Paris in 1919, TO
which they owe either independ-
ence or their present frontiers.
Here they have common ground
with France. which Ia determined
to preserve the treaty of Versailles
as a guarantee OF economic and
political security Here, too, they
have common ground with Po-
land. ally OF France and dominated
by the same concern. Here. meas
urably they have common ground
with Belgium. also an ally Of
France and champion of the Paris
decisions.
Thus France IL the first friend
of all the states OF the little en-
tente and they. In turn have ever
growing bonds with Poland. II is
! French officers who are training
the armies of all three states. and
of Poland as well; French military
ideas and French influence have
thus a real Importance. But this
quite naturally has its reaction in
Rome. where the Italians see
French support daily helping the
Jugo-Slav to consolidate their po-
sition and become more and more
menacing on the Adriatio.
Here Is one of the chief causes of
Franco-ltalian bitterness at the
moment. Italian policy, short
sighted and Austrian In its spirit.
has blocked the Jugo-Slav develop
ment at every turn. But French
support OF Jugo-Slavia is insuring
the equipment and training OF the
Jugo-Slav army. already exceeding
ly formidable. II war should ulti-
mately come. then Italian danger
would be greatly increased as a
result OF French policy.
Italy Leans Toward Alliance.
Nor are the Italians less angry
over French support for Czecho-
Slovakia. for in the back OF the
Italian mind the pan-Slav threat
remains. Thus you have Italy tend
ing steadily toward membership in
counter-alliance. made up of Italy,
Germany, Hungary and Bulgaria.
Austria for the moment has passed
under Czech influence. Here again
Italy has a partial responsibility.
for 1t was Italian support of Hun
garian claims to Burgenland which
deprived Austria OF a portion of
the territory originally all assigned
to her. And italy was actuated by
the fear that this Burgenland strip
would be transformed into a corri-
dor connecting Czecho Slovakia
with Jugo-Slavia. Moreover. IL is
not difficult to believe that Greece
will, too. In time. gravitate to Che
little entente.
Two great problems. then. DON'T
nate the Immediate future for King
Alexander. He has always to make
face to Italian hostility. He has
to play a not inconsiderable role in
usually be found on the side of
the French. who have been his con-
stant friend and in whose army his
father. Peter. fought Germany In
1870. The little entente is bound
to stand with France in the main
tenance of the treaties made at
Paris and thus to oppose all re-
visions. even that which is pro-
moted by Lloyd George
IL was the association of the
little entente. and Belgium and
Poland as well. with France al
Genoa, which wrecked the confer
ence and brought ruin to all of
Lloyd Georges fondest hopes II is
the little entente which blocks
Italian ambition to play con-
trolling part in the Balkans and
back of the little entente the
Italians, not unnaturalIy. see
| France.
Nation Rich In Minerals.
Despite it's present poverty. as
result of the world war, and despite
the absence of railways. Jugo-Slavia
Is a country rich in minerals, with
magnificent agricultural resources.
Given orderly government and ex-
ternal peace for generation, its
population will double and II will
become, IL not a great power, at
least state which must he
reckoned with in all European COM
binations. Allied with Greece and
Rumania II will stand solidly
against Italian aspirations on the
Adriatic and the Aegean: allied with
IL will restrain
Hungarian hopes of restoring the
Magyar state. And in any war its
army must be reckoned with as a
factor of no mean Importance
In the past three years the Amer
lean public has far too completely
concentrated its attention upon the
west OF Europe and upon events in
London, Paris and Berlin. In the
new Europe which is slowly taking
form. the succession states which
compose the little entente are des-
tined to play an increasingly i'm
portant role and their influence at
Genoa was decisive. And IL the
French have totally failed to per-
suade either the United States or
Britain to accept their views as to
European affairs. they have. in part
at least, compensated for this fall
ure by their success in finding COM
mon ground for cooperation with
the little entente and Poland and
this success gives them an influence
on the continent today which has
harly been adequately appraised
either in London or Washington.
On the other hand this very sue
cess is tending to raise an opposing
system of alliance, with Italy as
the center at the moment and Ger
many as the eventual senior part
ner Coptrary Tn all Apaarioan -