Evening star., 1925-02-15
BRITAIN PARALLELS u. S.
J. IN FIGHT OVER LEAGUE
Same Arguments Raised Over Protocol
That Were Used Here Against Cove
nant, But Isolation Is Lacking.

iklCdI liz the WoIlu bul WIN
profound, incurab BILE objection to
making decisions in advance, to
mortgaging future freedom of action
by specific contracts. The British
people are not willing at the moment
to say that they will intervene In
Europe under any circumstances
which can only be imag gined now
They are not even willing to guar
antee the future of France against
fresh German attack without know
ing in advance all the circumstances
of the moment.
Distrusts Europe's Map.
Dominating all, too, is a profound
distrust existing of the map OF
Europe. The Briton does mot believe
in Poland, CZechoslovakia, in Greater
Rumania. He believes that these
states in their existing boundaries
constitute inevitable affronts to Rus
sia and Germany in a not distant
future. He does not care a red her
rims about self f-determinati tion-or any
other abstract principle. What ap-
pears to him is that these countries,
newly created or expanded, seem in
capable of self-defense, doomed to
invite attack; he is resolved not to
be let In for a new war with Ger
many or Russia, or both, to defend
frontiers which he has never himself
accepted.
AS to the Franco o-German situation
his mind is much clearer, provided
only this situation were met. He has
no particular sentimental love for
France; we have passed out of the
area of sentiment. But he sees that
france is not going to abandon the
Rhine barrier without a guarantee OF
n ri tfN- hi
through the protocol. What is equal
ly to the point, recent events have
tended to give him a more favora BILE
view of the French mind He does
believe that France will retire, pro-
Vlded guarantees are forthcoming
Militaristic France No More.
You must appreciate the change of
mind in Britain with respect of
France to estimate present conditions
exactly. The militaristic France of
Poincare has disappeared. Now the
majority Of Englishmen see France
as a country honestly concerned with
security, ready to retire behind her
own frontiers, abandon any coercion
or mutilation of Germany, provided
only security Is assured And, be it
added, not ready to retire otherwise.
The Englishman neither liked nor
approved of the French position. He
regards 1t as unreasonable, quite
naturally. since 1T is calculated to be
emba rrassing for the Briton himself
But he does see it with comparative
precision, he does see that it is a ma
t1on-Wioe opinion, he does recognize
that something must be done about
IL, That II may be possible to do some
thing about 1t in the long run, when
the whole matter has been thrashed d
out.
Now we are just here in the discus
sion. The people and the new cabinet
have recognized that the real dicision
Is between the protocol and the max
ing or new exclusive treaty of guar
antee with France, which would have
all the disqualiacations of a special all
liance and would not in the end save
the British from embarras ssment, or
worse, If trouble broke on the Vistula
not on the Rhine. Again the mass of
the people see that If Britain sum-
marily rejects the league now, the
league will be compromised, the Brit
ish influence in it destroyed.
Two Logical Solutions Seen.
There being only two obvious
logical solutions, 1t Is safe to guess
that the British will ultimately find
a third, which Is neither obvious nor
logical, and will probably consist of
taking little from each possibility.
l hazard the guess that the Baldwin
government will do nothing which
would lay it open to the charge at
home or abroad that 1T had wreck ed
the league. But it seems equally GER
tain that it will not lay itself open
to the charge that it has pledged the
youth Of Britain to the defense of the
Polish line in the swamps beyond the
Plnsk, or even in the corridor along
the Lower Vistula in war, all OF
which Is another way of saying that
the British are now likely to follow
the example of the United States SEN
ate In the memorable fight over the
covenant. They are apparently to ac-
cept the protocol with reservations
with reservations drawn in the same
spirit as those of our own legislature
They are considering indorsing the
OBJECT OF the protocol, but they are
going to water down the obliga tions
involved and do nothing hastily.
But will this satisfy France? Obvious
ly not. Therefore, as corollary, one
hears more and more of a special pact
with France under the league, a So
called regional pact to which in the end
Germany, too, may be admitted, pact
which guarantees not the security OF
oiSC anu IociSlufu ana
directly. but the perpetuity of the from
tiers laid down at Paris so far as the
Rhine region Is concerned, and obligates
the British to use their resources to re-
strain any nation-which means, in
practice, either France or Germany-if
either seeks to disturb the peace or
modify the status quo in that region.
What John Bull Will Say.
In effect, John Bull is going to say
quite Enthusiastically. "As to the
protocol, L approve of it in principle, as
l do all other efforts to preserve peace
as l do the League of Nations from
which 1T emerged-but given the state
of mind in my country, particularly in
my dominions. it is no earthly use for
me to undertake to promise that if you
get into row with the middle or east
Of Europe 1 shall be committed in ad-
vance to go to the fire. Maybe that fire
will spread to my property in the end.
put the fact Is that | cannot make my
people understand this in advance. We
believe in a League of Nations, but for
us you went too fast, too far, in Geneva
L shall have to wait until my peopIe
catch up. But pray do not think that
this means / do not believe in the
league. Oh, dear, no, nothing of the
sort, on my word"
As to Rhine Security.
Then to France, Look here. about
this matter Of security, what you want
is the fact Of security; what nv people
want Is to escape the form of special
alliance; therefore, how would it be for
me to undertake to oppose any ATTEMPT
to invade the neutralized regions of the
Rhine. any attempt to modify the status
quo created at Paris, any refusal to ac-
cept arbitration, to resort to aggression.
as defined in the protocol? You have no
intention OF attacking Germany, so that
does not restrict you; If Germany at
tacks you, then am committed. But as
to Poland, your-if ! may-so peculiar
eastern involvements, don't count on