Evening star., 1925-07-12
Fate of Western Europe Security Pact
Rests With Public Opinion in Britain

| by the public. 1t is the task of the
Baldwin government to make Great
| Britain and the dominions feel that
1t is worth while for the empire to
agree to fight for the sanctity of the
Rhine boundaries without getting
| anything tangible in return. Such a
task must prove difficult. Some of
the difficulties may now be indicated.
First and less important, the Do
minions. Their governments have not
been notified, nor consulted, as to the
proposed British participation in the
western security pact. Technically,
this can be justified on the ground
that Great Britain still is committed
to nothing In reality, the Dominions
were not asked because what they
would say was known in advance,
They would all object, South Africa
with great violence and the others de-
cisively.
They would follow the example Of
the United States and declare them
selves unwilling to be parties to any
arrangement committing them to war
In the future. Unless there is some
remarkable and quite unpredictable
change in Dominion opinion, that will
be the nature of their official pro-
nouncement when the time comes.
Dominion opposition, though se-
rious, is not held here to be neces-
sarily fatal to British participation in
the pact. Both France and Germany
would accept gladly the signature of
Great Britain to such pact, the
Dominions standing aloof. The mill
tary strength of the Dominions is
after all but a small fraction of Great
Britain's. Such an arrangement, how
ever. must gravely perturb interim
perial relationships.
When the King of England goes to
war he remains King of South Africa,
Canada and Australia. The complica-
tons in an empire loosely held to-
gether, bound together in it's relations
to the rest of the world by no written
constitution. of an empire partly at
war, partly at peace. are obvious, and
would be most unwelcome
Home Opinion Decisive.
British participation in the security
pact, however, will probably in the
end stand or fall on public opinion
at home. This is as yet the Uniformed
but significant fact already emerged.
Ramsay Macdonald, on behalf of
the Labor Party. has Fundamentally
condemned the proposed pact as tend
ing to war and not peace. 1t seems
certain that this will be the official
Labor attitude. Opposition to the
pact. as a campaign cry, seems likely
TO be popular with the working
classes. They will be asked whether
they wish to commit themselves and
their children to fight in n new and
more horrible war for France. or for
Germany. and when the issue is put
in this way the response of the masses
can be. predicted in advance
IT VIII be a most emphatic Mo-
To some extent MacDonald's own de.
nunciation of the pact and that of
his ex-ministers may be due to iique
His league protocol was turned down
by the Tory cabinet. this pact was put
in its place. But whatever motive
or combination Of motives may be
alleged. the opposition of Labor. rep
resenting one-third of the electorate,
is a most serious blow to the advo-
Gates of British participation in the
pact.
Liberals on the Fence.
The Liberals, although only a run1p
in the House of Commons, can still
poll quarter of the nations voting
strength in any normally conducted
election. Their radical group now at