Evening star., 1924-10-26

league. And 1t is in support of these
German protests that l assume the
Progressives would address the ma
tions signatory to the treaty of Ver-
Sailles
Now, the territory of Eupen and
a population of $4,000. 1t represents
the exact spot where the German in
vasion of Belgium was organized;
one great military camp is within the
territory and so are the termini of
strategic railways built in advance
for the invasion. A portion of the
population Is Walloon French and
belonged to the Austriate Neither
lands before the French Revolution.
A sort of plebiscite was held. since
the voters opposed to union with Bel
gium were permitted to record their
votes, but practically none did. In
view OF the circumstances and of the
tact that surrender of this territory
would facilitate new German in
Fasion, would the United States be
warranted in calling upon Belgium to
retrocede this area, and what would
the Belgian response probably be?
Sanction MemeI Transfer.
AS TO Memel, the League of Nations
last Winter sanctioned it's transfer to
Lithuania, a majority of it's popula-
state its only possible port on the
sea. Obviously, then, Lithuania would
not surrender it save as a result of an
unsuccessful war. And any interven-
ton by the United States would be
regarded rs little less than a hostile
act, which would. of course be true
If we meddled with the European
Malmedy question.
But, after all, real fight for the re-
of th4
side turns, so far as the colonies are
concerned, upon the British acquisi-
tlons and, so far as European lands
are involved, upon the questions of
Danzig, the Polish corridor and Upper
Silesia. As to Danzig the issue rests
with the league, and the progressives
would have to deal with it to procure
a change.
AS to the Polish corridor. the Ger
man complaint is not that the cession
TO Poland does violence to self-de-
termination, for five out of six of the
inhabitants are Poles, but that it sep
arates two purely German areas
namely, the main mass of Prussia and
East russia The debate, then, is
between the virtue of the principle
OF self DIFFERENTIATION and that of stra
tegic unity. But what would be tn.
response of Poland if asked by the
united states to surrender a. province
having 100000 Polish Inhabitants and
only $50, 600 Germans. because, in the
opihioh OF America, Polish possession
interfered with German unitvo Might
not Poland as well suggest that upper
New England should be coded to Can
ada, since it is the natural Atlantic
outlet of that dominion?
Upper SiIesia Dispute,
As TO Upper Silesia the DISPUTE is
hlI in
Poland not only are three
of the inhabitants Polish but a ma
Jority voted for the Polish rule, al
though in the whole plebiscite area a
large majority favored the German.
Moreover, while there is a consider
able German population in the cities, |
the country region is soIidly Polish. 1
This division according to the vote !
of the inhabitants by minor districts
was included in the terms of the |
Treaty of Versailles. But aside from
the disputed question of right and
wrong there remains the fact that !
this region supplies Poland with
practically all of her coal, together |
with other minerals: is it likely she !
would consent to cede it back to Ger
many because a political party in the |
United States, even the party lately |
victorious at the polls, desired such |
d retrocesSion?
And, of course, Poland would be
supported in her inevitable refusal
by France, Belgium, Jugoslavia, |
Rumania and Czechos1ovakia, as she |
probably would be by Britain and her |
dominions, if the broad principal of
restoring the Germany of 1914, both |
as to Europe and as to the Colonial |
world were raised. And what is the |
final and obvious fact is that any |
and all such representations made by !
us would be met by fiat negative !
for no country cedes away its people !
and it's lands without any balancing |
compensation save under the force of |
arms.
There remains the matter of repa-
rations, but it is hardly necessary to |
go deeply into that now for a single |
obstacle would prove adequate. The |
La Toilette administration, assuming |
that there should be one, might call |
an international conference to reduce |
the reparations payments of Ger !
many, that is to supersede the Dawes |
plan, but again, it would be no more |
than an invitation to the European |
powers to give up something for |
nothing because the United States, |
which would give up nothing itself |
felt that it was the duty of others to |
make sacrifices.
Would Call for Cancellations.
Naturally we should be met with |
the invitation to make sacrifices, too, |
and the European creditors of Ger
many would cheerfully consent to re-
duce their claims upon the Germans
pari passu with our reduction OF our
claims upon them in the shape of al
lied debts. And even the German
Americans would leave us on that is |
md oh CT T.
ing sacrifices from others while de-
clining any on our own part or, as an
alternative, agreeing to such a cam
collation. Of debts and thus paying
the freight of the whole transaction.
So much for the whole proposition,
then. 1t is inherently impossible, ac-
tually childish, but-and this is worst
of all-fraught with very evil conse
quences. These evil consequences are
various, in the first place 1T asserts in
fact that we are as a nation endowed
with a superior morality which au-
thorizes us to pass judgment upon the
actions of other countries. We, who
have acquired territory with each of
our foreign wars, save the last, and
without regard to the will of the in
habitants now set up to decide the
morality of similar transactions on
the part Of other countries. We thus
assume the role Of a meddler and at
the same time Of an obnoxious med
dler.
Since we have elected to stay out of
the League. of Nations we should find
ourselves Confronted by the league at
every turn and what the revision of
the treaty would amount to would be
a. deliberate attempt to take out of
the hands of the league matters
which are it's own peculiar province
and any such attempt would be sure
to meet with solid opposition. A
proof of this discoyerable in the quiet