Evening star., 1925-07-05
FINDS BRITISH FOES
TO SECURITY WEAK
Observer Says England viii
Rat!fy Pact if Germans
Are Favorable.
BY WILLIAM II. SCOTT.


LONDON, June 2.-Parliament will
ratify the security pact by decisive
majority if Germany responds favor
ably and the Baldwin ministry desires
10 consummate the plan for European
peace. Not only have the Conserva-
tveS ample votes to ratifv the pact
but the Lloyd George Macdonald op-
position was so conspicuously feeble
rs to assure many Liberal and Social
lst votes for the measure
Reports from the dominions are
somewhat disquieting, and that is why
ratification is said to hinge partly
upon the continued desire of the Bald
win regime to carry the idea through.
However public opinion in England
hostile to the pact is cooling notice
ably. and may do so in the dominions
before the vote is taken and as it's real
scope becomes better known.
May Disregard Dominions.
England, of course. can ratify the
pact regardless of the views of the
dominions. and probably will do so.
although the utmost desire is manifest
IN the government here to work in
accord with outlying parts of the en-
pure one hears constantly fears eX-
pressed that Canada and Australia
may become more pro-American than
pro. British in their foreign policies.
D. The foregoing assertions are based
largely upon observations at a mass
meeting recently held by the League
Of Nations Union. at which Lord Cecil
ana Lord Grey spoke, among others.
Ihls ganiZation is developing public
opinion in Britain in favor of the
league, and a study of the crowd AT
the mass meeting throws much light
upon the current mood of the English
neople. The central point made by
af a 1-irr
by more than 5000 auditors. including
many women, was that no treaty or
pact shall impair the functions or
vitality or the league. Lord Grev IN
snaringly condemned the system of
alliances existing before the World
war and declared the present pact
must not contain any hangover of
that idea of foreign policy.
Modified for Pact.
As the meeting went on it became
apparent that sentiment was being
mohilized for the pact The crowd al
first roundly applauding statements
that the pact must not imperil the
league. was led gradually to a feeling
that the pact did not do this. Much
stress was laid on the assertion that
thts was not an alliance of one gro,1n
OF nations against another group.
which Lord Grey said surely wouid
culminate in war, as in 1914 but was
an agreement. including Germany. +o
preserve the peace. Moreover, # was
said to be designed to strengthen the
league.
Chief interest in Lord Crews speech
was unquestionably based upon the
vital role he played before and in the
earlier stages of the World War. Ea
frankly admitted his part and British
part In the alliance that made Europe
two armed camps, and had the crowd
enthusiastically with him when he
said that Britain now must balk any
move smacking of that system. and
be ready TO fight for the principle of
arbitration of international disputes.
The nation, he added, must get into
4 state of mind where public opinion
could he modified as quickly for ar
bitration Of disputes as formerly pub
lie opinion blazed up into a demand
for war
Fear Breeds Unrest
Unless the conditions which pre-
vailed prior to 1914 could be pre-
vented from developing again, he
saw no chance to avoid another
more disasterous war. Fear, he,
repeatedly charged, was at the bot
tom of war and today's unrest, hence
security was imperative, and the
league, or agreements that promised
security dnferentially the pact). must
be upheld and entered into before any
disarmament could be considered.
His plea for the nation to forget
the past and take Germany into the
league was received cordially, as was
the hope expressed that the United
States would join the World Court. If
not the league. Other speakers
sounded notes on a less idealistic
plane The industrial crisis in Eng
land was laid by them largely at the
door of international unrest and ex-
penditures for armaments. with the
deduction that a more virile league
would solve the problem. The audi
ence agreed with the sentiments.
One speaker told the audience that
If England could not regain her world
trade. about 5000 600 persons would
have to leave the islands for other
lands. for one-third of the nation, he
declared. lived on its foreign trade
The cotton mills, he continued, could
make all the cotton cloth and gar
ments needed in England in six
weeks, and the remainder of the year
the prosperity of the industry de-
pended on sales abroad.
Cites Chinese Situation.
The Chinese situation was cited as
a factor which might further cripple
industry here through d boycott, and
the inference was left that a powerful
League OF Nations would tranquillize
such situations-not necessarily by
deciding for England in a dispute. he
implied, but by giving all nations
feeling that disputes could be justly
arbitrated rather than settled by
force.
The humor of the crowd gave an
index of the support the league has
found in England. Here it is viewed
asa possible solution of most dis
tressing and urgent industrial and
political problems. Lord Grey re-
minded the crowd that England no
longer had any isolation. Airplanes.
submarines and Big BerthaS abolished
the channel as a defense, he declared.
What Germany and France did,
therefore, vitally concerned England,
and must be done, if possible, with
English cooperation. But he placed
the league above every other agency
as war antidote.
Similar meetings are planned
throughout England to arouse public
opinion for a vigorous British pro