Evening star., 1925-02-22
BY OLIVER OWEN KUHN.

~ AN England dodge the Geneva
A protocol providing a way
for general disarmament and
VI security in Europe and at the
same time prevent commit
ments to France that will forever
prove a stone about the neck of the
British foreign office?
This is a question that is giving
governmental leaders in London many
waking hours, for time and tides have
washed up a situation where some
action must be taken in order that
Britain keep a directing voice in
formulating future continental pol
icies. That Britain must take de-
termined hand in affairs is admitted,
owing to suspicion of continental
directed policies and constant danger
of the whole reconstruction program
breaking down-a thing not remote,
because of ancient antipathies or a
thing not impossible unless England
plays her diplomatic cards in adroit
fashion. And there is no indication
that England will commit herself
completely to France. Neither will
she permit the tides to wash up ar
rangements not in accordance with
what England considers to the best
interest not only of England but
the world at large.
In Maze of Complications.
In Paris, in Berlin and in London
diplomatic representatives of these
large powers are actively engaged
in working themselves through a
a maze of complications that have
arisen as a result of the tacit promise
of England to offer a security pact
to France in case it is found mex
pedient to either defer Indefinitely
which would bind England to CONT
mental affairs in a fashion which
British statesmen declare is inimical
to the best interests of the empire.
At least the dominions, whose voice
grows larger and larger in the
formulation of world policies, must be
consulted. From expressions already
voiced there will be much revision
before Britain ever consents 70 the
protocol, which in its present shape
works completely to the interest of
other nations particularly France
In a fortnight the counsel of the
League of Nations convenes in
Geneva, and Austen Chamberlain,
foreign minister of England, will in
form the league that it will be
impossible to subscribe to the proto-
col in its present form, and that
British dominions must be consulted
on all amendments he Will tell tne
league the matter should go over
until the September session of the
assembly. This undoubtedly will be
the course pursued, and as con-
sequence the proposed arms confer
ence. in June, which would be
innocuous without previous adoption
of the protocol, will he deferred to
dim and distant date.
Sees Curb ON Freedom.
Great Britain is not Intentionally
garroting the protocol idea or the
idea of security and disarmament,
but the protocol in its present form
is declared to materially interfere
with Britain's freedom of action in
handling her forces throughout the
empire. BY virture of the great es-
Establishments maintained by the en-
pire, England would be called upon,
through provisions of the protocol,
to take a hand in outbreaks in all
sections of the world, and her share
in league dictated undertakings would
be preponderant by virtue of her re-
sources.
In the meantime, England recog-
niZes that the Rhineland and the
Ruhr questions must be settled if
continental equilibrium is to be
maintained. England realizes that
the sooner all the vexatious ques-
tions existing between France and