Evening star., 1925-07-31
The Security Pact
BY Gen. Henry r. Allen,
Formerly Commander of the Ameri-
can Troops on the Rhine.

Perhaps since the signing of the
Dawes plan no peace measure of
greater moment has been proposed
than the security pact. And at no
time within the past IL years have
the historically inimical Central Euro-E
pean powers shown such good will
toward peace and each other as now.
1t is. not worth while to go behind
the scenes to learn the reasons.
Whether German recognition of peace
at this stage as a vital element in its
restoration, and financial friendship
of foreign countries as a necessity
for her industries be the reasons is
beside the question. Likewise. whether
the imitation of the franc, the Riffian
campaign and the necessity of finan-
cial aid from without be potent causes
in bringing about a stronger desire by
France for an understanding with her
former enemy need not he dwelt upon
here. The good will shown suffices to
condone much OF the past and inspire
hope in the future.
Hope of an Agreement
The approval of the Reichstag and
Of the Parliament of the proposals of
the respective foreign ministers fur
ther increases hope of some sort of
agreement. The difficulties will not
be with respect TO the Western from
tier and Rhineland agreement, but
with the corridor to the sea, the free
city of Danzig and the disposition
made OF Upper Silesia These latter
realities involve vital questions for
both France and Germany; for the
former by reason Of its alliances with
Poland and CzechosloVakia, for the
latter by reason of its genuine con
victlon that the great injustice in
| f1icted on the reich must be righted.
Germany proposes to do this by arbi-
| tration, While France respectfully de-
clines to consider any change of the
Versailles treaty. Both sides, how
ever, approach this apparently insur-
mountable difficulty with an expressed
spirit of good will and understanding.
The present trade war between Po-
| land and Germany, in contrast TO the
| final excavations of Puhr cities now
| taking place, is suggestive of what
| the future portends under existing
treaty conditions. In the interest of
their own existence, it would seem
advisable for Poland and Czechoslo-
vakia 10 set about making such ar
|
| possibly also with Russia, as would
| relieve France of dangers in the East
and give themselves a possible peace
| that insistence on the status quo
necessarily bellies. Treaties must be
subject TO the universal law of
change, to such a change as is pro
vided for in the Versailles document.
Wanted in the League.
! ence, of both England and France
that Germany become a member Of
| the League of Nations may be COM
| piled with, but to recognize France
as a guarantor of arbitration treaties
| between Germany on one side and
| CzechoslOvakia and Poland on the
| other is quite a different matter.
Germanys experience with the league
which recommended turning over TO
Poland about So per cent of the wealth
| of Upper SiIesia, despite the plebiScite
favorable to the reich, has not created
predispoSition toward that world or
ganiZation.
The suggested discrimination in re-
spect TO article 16, put forward by
Germany by reason of its small army,
has not been favorably received by
the other countries, and Germany
will probably yield on that point. The
disarmament question is practically
settled, the evacuation of the Ruhr is
almost an accomplished fact. and very
shortly we shall hear that the British
are leaving Cologne. While these are
valuable aids in bringing about Sc
curity pact, truly very much remains
to be done. However, considerable
honor and credit are already due NJ.
BRAND, Herr Stresemann, and per
haps not less to Mr.. Chamberlain.
(Copvright 1925.l