Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-02-28
BY FRANK III. SIMONDS.
LONDON


to deal with international problems
and particularly the question of dis
armament as viewed from the British
standpoint. But in discussing political
questions II is essential to recall that
economic considerations tremendously
overbalance political, and that the
people of the United States, enjoying
a period of prosperity and an era OF
political good feeling, can have little
accurate appreciation of the deadly
earnestness with which Europe-and
Britain in PARTICIPANTS addressing
itself to the solution of its terrible
problems
Again our policy with respect to
debts and the line Mr.. Hoover has re-
Gently taken over rubber have aroused
in England a profound. and, ! believe
nm enduring. resentment which may
have very significant consequences for
n very long time to come. Here in
London there is clear perception
that America is not only an exigent
creditor but a determined rival; that.
commercially speaking, the United
States is henceforth an enemy. Nor
Is It passing unnoticed that our exces-
sive unpopularity on the Continent
makes possible not merely European
economic combination against us but
also emphasizes the possibility that
leadership.
Viewpoints Contrast.
Nothing Is more striking, too, than
the contrast between British and
American points of view as to the
present situation. In Washington one
can detect a marked drift toward
closer relations with Europe, based
upon rather vague notions that not
nj
but that also it will be welcomed with
positive enthusiasm. In London, on
the contrary, there is certainly no en-
thusiasm over our coming. and not the
slightest belief in the possibility of
any present achievement of any of
the objects which have led to our
decision to come to that disarma
ment conference, which has already
been postponed for long period of
time.
Certainly Europe will not openly
and officially do anything to prevent a
return to this side of the Atlantic of
that Nation which possesses most of
the available ca Sh of the world, COM
ing as we shall to the Continent
where loans and credit are the essen
tial needs. But the fact that the
United States has decided to come
back has already set in motion wide
spread calculation as TO the degree to
which this return can he made use OF,
NOT alone for purely European ends
lat also for varying national interests.
llenCefortll the existence of the
debts offers to the British an instant
and easy way in which to create
European solidarity against the
United States at any moment when
it may he worth while. 1t is true that
Britain also has insisted upon debt
payments. but it is pretty clearly per
ceived here that, despite the settle
inents, very little money will ever be
paid. and that the real value of the
debts Is that they offer a British gov
srnment an opportunity. by agreeing
to reductions of payments at a given
moment, to exercise decisive influence
upon policies of debtor nations And
the hope of such concessions must in
turn influence foreign policy.
Gained by Locarno.
Ev the Locarno pacts Britain has
acquired the undisputed hegemony of
Europe. France and Germany are
hereafter indefinitely bound to follow
British dictates in return for guaran-
tees against each other. The domi-
mating force in Europe is, however.
the Anglo-FrenCh entente, and in any
showdown between France and Ger
many on Sntn ISSUES dS tidl VI at
CELEBRATED evacuation of the Rhineland
the British would stand with France.
As to Italy, which is not affected
materially by I.ocarno, the situation
i slightly different. British public
opinion is almost unanimously against
Mussolini and Fascism. But, by con
trast. the British policy will he in
,rcaSingly pro-FasciSti because Italian
ambitions fall in well with British in
;cr,sStS. Italy IS resolved to go to
.An;tio Ola and endcavor there To build
:; @teat colonial empire. To settle the
Na~t deserted regions of Turkey with
ih5 surplus millions of Italy and
Crcit" Il new Italy which will he in
f"rH u great power.
Biitain stands in immediate danger
ol Turkish action as result of the
de, elmination to hold Musul. But If
turkish attack upon the British forces
Nrcre bound TO lead to Italian landing
- Mosul there would be plain reason
why Mustapha Renal Pasha might
hesftate In a word Italy can now
IT any moment. be launched against
Turkey. and there might be very
sound British reasons why, on the
whole, It would be we'll to occupy both
countries, which are equally restless
and constitute dissatisfied elements.
disarmament SuUOfuIudtt.
From the British angle the whole
question of disarmament. which fig
,.res so largely in the American mind.
has become subordinate and unimpor-
tant DO the British really desire
tnrnpean disarmament at this mo-
ment? At the least. there are good
easonS for the doubts as 10 this
which exist on all sides The Man
chester Guardian. for example, an
nounces categorically that British rep
reservations have been made to War
.aW protesting against the present
program of reduction in the Polish
army The obvious eXpla nation lies
in the present British apprehension
of Russia and the desire to keep a
strong force on her western frontier.
AS to France. again. all the old de-
,unciation of French militariSm has
pasSed. Even the criticism of France
i'm SYRIA and Morocco has died away
and there is a clear realization that
both France and Britain in Asia and
Africa face the same perils due to ma
tive unrest. If France should aban-
don Syria. then the whole storm would
break over the British in Palestine and
in the Irak The truth is that, as a
practical question, British sentiment
no longer considers disarmament as
half as important as the problem of
the use and direction of existing mill
tarv forces in accordance with British
interests.
No British government will even
consider the limitation of naval
strength. All British interest in this
respect is concentrated upon the aboli.
lion of the submarine as legal
weapon menacing British naval SUI
nremacy. As to land ornaments. the
;,,,,lo ,,oSSihIe decision which an ar.
,,ament conference might make to the
I,ritish mind is the prohibition of the
,,aseing of cities and the restriction OF
VI ich deNelnMed In Inc