Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-12-28

is directing it's main attention to
this problem. and perhaps the uiti-
mate unity or disintegration OF the
most magnificent imperial edihce
since the days of Rome may be
settled in the decade which has just
opened. In any event, looking no
farther into the future than the
coming year, 1t Is plain that for
Britain there Is opening the supreme
struggle to heal the economic
wounds OF the war In the British In
dustrial system while seeking to dis
cover and develop that system which
shall insure imperial unity.
French Prosperity Returns.
For France the new year opens no
such supreme problem. French
prosperity has already returned.
French trade has regained its pro-
war level. the destroyed mines are
once more producing at pre-war
levels, even II there remain separate
houses to be reconstructed. the
factories and tho highways, the rail-
ways and the fields are restored.
of immigration, France has already
drawn to herself more hands than
were lost In the war; thus she has
restored her productive machinery on
the human side.
Moreover, as the course of French
statesmen at London and Geneva
showed, France has abandoned not
alone extreme policies, which in
truth she never actually adopted
but the semblance Of such policies.
and has shown a moderate and a
sincere devotion to the cause of
peace which has greatly strengthened
her position at home and abroad.
Today her supreme problem is fiscal:
where Britain is fiscally sound but
industrially crippled France is
fiscally unsound but industrially
and economically perhaps as
prosperous as ever IN her his
tory. Her problem Is not to re-
store her markets and thus abolish
unemployment, but to find ways and
means for raising a revenue ade-
quate to meet the costs Of her
colossal debts, domestic and foreign.
resulting from the fact that the
World War was largely fought on
her soil.
Governmentally. France, like Bril-
tain. has emerged from the war with
mistaken institutions. The third re-
public is no longer even q matter of
debate and passing disturbances by
relatively few Communist agitators
have little larger Importance than the
familiar Hyde Park demonstrations
In London. For years to come France
and Britain must struggle with their
domestic problems, the former with
debts. the latter with unemployment,
but in neither Is there any basis for
apprehension so far as the perma-
hence of institutions is concerned.
Italy Faces Problem.
In Italy, on the contrary. the prob
lem is more serious. Like Germany
before the war, like Japan now, Italy
finds herself with a restricted area,
growing population and to an I'M
paralleled extent lacking In all the
essential raw materials. save as she
has been able by Intelligent use Of
water power partially to make good
the loss of coal. In addition she lacks
colonies which might supply raw ma
terial, absorb her manufactures or
give homes to her increasing masses.
particularly desirable now since the
American immigration laws have shut
them from this country.
Moreover Italy finds herself shut
off on all sides from following lines
of natural expansion. To resume the
pathway of Rome and establish her
self In North Africa is impossible. for
there, from Tunis to the Atlantic.
France stands long established and
firm. To take up the pathway of
Venice and go east Is impossible, for
there she encounters not alone a rem
ascent Greece, but British opposition
and British and French bases. Even
the Adriatic is not her exclusive sea.
for there is rising a great Slav state
across that narrow stretch of water,
while all the good harbors are on the
foreign shore.
Within, Mussolini endures; not i'm
possibly his position Is less shaken
than the news of recent months would
suggest, but II is beyond question that
the opposition is increasing, while the
conditions which existed before the
arrival Of the dictator suggest that
his fall might be attended by evil
consequences which for a moment
might threaten the inner security of
the Italian state.
Rivnlries q Menace.
Like Britain and France. Italy is.
then, faced with grave domestic
problems, but unlike her more fortu-
nate allies of the war, her problems
are political as well as economic. In
addition, unlike both the other states,
she finds herself with unsatisfied ter
ritorial ambitions. For France and
to consolidate and hold what is now
possessed; for Italy there Is the dan
gerous need, felt by millions, to ex-
tend national possessions and insure
for Italy the rank of a great power
and the possibilities of a great eco
nomic unit.
And the obvious rivalries of
Britain, France and Italy in the
constitute an immedi-
ate danger. not to peace, for war be-
tween these nations Is well nigh I'M
but of conflicting policies
which may have disastrous conse-
quences for all three, faced with ma
tive unrest on all the Asiatic and
shores of the Mediterranean
Some form of entente or alliance be-
tween these nations. then, becomes
the single conceivable outcome of
existing conditions.
Turning now to Germany, one finds
oneself, as always. confronted by
riddle. German economic recovery in
the relatively brief period since the
adoption Of the Dawes plan surpasses
all expectation. Germany has not
alone INDICATED her essential unity,
but after the terrible IL futile expert
ment of the Ruhr resistance, has es-
capped from a condition Of misery and
despair and Is already making herself
felt in all the markets where. before
the war, she was England's chief
competitor.
Peace Up to Germany.
But what Of political Germany? The
Spring election represented the tri-
umph Of the Nationalists and the De-
cember test showed only a moderate
gain for the Republican parties, who
still lack the necessary majority to
form a cabinet. From Berlin and
elsewhere there still come disturbing
rumors Of the preparation Of a war
of revenge. Of the secret gathering Of
military stores, above all of the sur
viYal Of the spirit which, beyond all