Evening star., 1925-07-12

tacks the pact. Other Liberals,
though more reserved than Labor
leaders, are at present on the whole
vaguely hostile. What Liberal policy
is to become will depend upon the
line taken by such statesmen as Lloyd
George, Lord oxford and Lord Grey.
Their outspoken condemnation, be-
cause of their high positions in the
past and their knowledge and expert
ence in international affairs, might
make the governments position in
favor of the pact impossible. At pres
ent it seems likely there will be a
split in the Liberal ranks.
Were Lloyd Georges denunciation
neutralized by the support Of that
famous foreign secretary, Earl Grey,
and were ,Asquith more. or less neu-
tral, Liberalism in this, as in many
other recent great issues. might have
little weight because of its divided
voice.
Finally, there is the Conservative
attitude. This at present, among rank
and file, is doubtful and hesitating
After Baldwin and Chamberlain have
argued for the pact before Parliament.
they will probably find behind them
the bulk Of their great majority. The
press campaign against the pact, how
ever, is being led by Conservative
Inc pO"CIlui
portant Beaverbrook press is in full
cry against it. The Daily Mail is sit
ting on the fence, but the odds are
that it will soon join in the chorus.
Tories May Oppose Government.
An anxious and highly critical edi-
torial in the Sunday Times few days
ago gives warning that the Berry
group of Tory papers, more powerful
in the provinces than London, may
turn against the government foreign
policy. What influence the Tory party
press has over the cabinet is a mat
ter of dispute, but 1t is inevitably con-
siderable.
Baldwin and his colleagues must
believe intensely in the necessity for
this security pact If Europe is to re-
cover For they are faced, and they
know they aefe- faced, by a terrific
fight that may split their party in
their attempts to get it through. They
must realize. too. that a permanent or
long-term British guarantee of the
Rhine frontiers cannot be imposed on
the nation or the empire by a mere
parliamentary majority. Such thing
is not like a tariff bill, that can be
repealed by another party after d new
election. 1t must command general,
If not unanimous. consent.
Were security pact negotiated and
brought to Parliament for approval
and were that pact then attacked by
the united Liberal and Labor opposi-
tions, cheered on by the most power
full section of the Tory press, the gov
ernment would be certain to withdraw
it rather than force it's ratification as
a strictly party measure. Indeed. faced
by such a prospect, the pact would
not be introduced. That is the real
danger.
Most of the bluff and bluster about
this pact may come from Paris to-
day and from Berlin tomorrow. But
in the end the great mass of German
and French opinion will demand it's
acceptance, provided the British guar
antee is obtained. Whether the pres
ent cabinet can carry the public opin-
ion of its own country, even without
that of the dominions, with it TO the
end of it's present line of policy seems
at this early stage of the proceedings
extremely doubtful. And without Brit
ish participation the western security
pact must collapse.
Copyright. 1928. bv Press Publishing Co
New York World