Evening star., 1925-09-20
CONTINUED from First Page)

enormously useful meeting place for
statesmen. The annual assembly al
Geneva Is a unique occasion, and the
contacts between foreign ministers
have a permanent value. So, too. the
comparatively minor activities of the
league, such as the direction Of Aus
trian and Hungarian finance, exami
nation of various international ques
tions and similar enterprises, would
Justify its existence. The World
Court, which springs from the league
may we'll have great II limited value
On the other hand, every effort yet
made to give the league real power
as an agency for promoting peace
and for preventing war, as well as for
insuring the collective action OF the
world against any country wantonly
disturbing world peace. has failed alb
solutely for the simple reason that
there is, up to the present time, no
common denominator of international
opinion with respect OF war.
Views at Variance.
The United States, for example, be
lieves that the way to serve the cause
of peace is by national, not interna
tional, action. and while seeking al
ways to act peacefully it totally re.
fuses to undertake all responsibilities
1t will guarantee nothing and 1t asks
no guarantee, for it has no concefv-
able interest in guaranteeing any
frontier or in having its own from
tiers guaranteed by anybody.
Great Britain, on the other hand,
while sharing the American view,
does not occupy the privileged
States. 1t has to be interested in GER
min frontiers, because its own terri
tories are vitally affected by what
happens on these boundaries. 1t will
guarantee certain frontiers, then. but
only those in which 1t Is interested
and for the rest 1t holds to the
American view. Indeed, many Eng
lishmen and most citizens Of the
dominions hold the American view
despite British existence within sight
of European shores.
Neither Isolation Nor Security.
Nations living on the European
Continent, on the contrary, have
neither the absolute isolation OF
America nor the relative security OF
Britain. And European conflict is
so to speak, either in their front yard
or at best at their back door. Any
5flre which starts on the Vistula may
sweep to the Loire. Therefore their
idea Of a league must be an interna
tional agency to keep peace. or, ir
the case Of Germany and Hungary
for example. an international agency
to compel certain nations to surrender
territory which they acquired at the
expense of others.
France, Belgium, Rumania. Jugo
slavia, Czechoslovakia. Greece, the
Baltic states desire a league to guar
antee them In their peaceful posses
sion Of what they hold. Italy wants
a league which will assume contro
of the raw materials of the world and
allocate them without regard to orig
inal ownership. Italy and Japan de
sire a league which can override ma
tional prohibitions of immigration or
behalf Of their own excess popula
ton.
Moreover, whatever may be th'
achievements of the league to date
and they have been respectfully con
siderable, they have not had the small
/. est effect in modifying the practice o.
international relations.
The real discussions between ma
tions continue to be conducted by for
eign ministers without regard 70 thu
league. All member governments pa!
lip service to the league, but the i'm