Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-09-19

| OF idealism is so easy after all. and
! that election was not free. from hu-
man weakness and national esotism.
What about disarmament. asks pub
| lie opinion. What about all those ma
| tional injustices which cry out to
heaven for redress? How soon Is
| Stresemann going to show his hand
or his cloven hoof? That cyni-
cism is as easy as oratory. 1t rs
cheaper and less useful. The League
| is not divorced from human nature.
I Nations do not abandon their national
ambitions in becoming members of it.
| Progress toward peace and internla
| tional law is slow and difficult. But
this League. during its present ses-
sion. had shown real loyalty to its
| best ideals, and | am certain that its
new Council will act in all cases as
! peacemaker and arbitrator as far as
! its powers go. They do not go as
! far as the wishes of an impatient
world. but gradually they are strength
! eninR. and in my opinion they are
! the only safeguard Of European peace
! and the only stronghold of an interna-
! tional spirit which is beginning to
reach across the frontiers Of hostility
/ intolerance and stupidity still form
/ ing strong barriers in the minds of
/ nations.
! The spirit of Cancellation voiced by
! BRAND Of France and Stresemann Of
! Germany during the week should do
much Immediately to take fear out
of the hearts of France and Germany
and to break down that mutual sus-
picion and distrust which have so con-
stantly INSTRUCTED peaceful progress
and ordinary common sense in the re-
! latiCnS between these two nations
England. as chief guarantor of the
Locarno pact has strained public opin-
ion among her own people by under
taking to give full military assistance
to either France or Germany should
one of them be wantonly attacked by
the other That is to say, If war
breaks out again between these two
! former enemies Great Britain will be
involved in it Immediately on one side
or the other. and that is a frightful
! thought to her after all that was
! lost forever in the last war.
! But making that terrific pledge
and taking that risk. it is likely that
| fear. which is the father of cruelty
and the mother of war, will be thrust
out of the imagination of French and
| German folk They may get ahead
! now to constructive work, free from
| dark terrors and popular passion. 1t
| is the first fruit of Germany's ad
| mittance to the League of Nations
| because the Locarno pact could only
| be ratified after that event. 1t is
| concrete fact, carrying out the
| spirit of those emotional speeches
made by BRAND and Stresemann last
| Friday before the Assembly of the
! League.
Stresemann Gives Views.
saw DR.. Stresemann. and he gave
| me his views on this Locarno treaty
which is now in operation. Speaking
with considerable emotion, he recall
| ed the deep suspicion which was
aroused both in England and France
when the first German memorandum
was received suggesting those mu-
tual guarantees. Everybody asked
What does it really mean? Who
is it directed against" Public
opinion was filled with distrust. and
it took France four months to send
ervations proved her uneasiness and
suspicion.
The same spirit was shown in pre-
urinary conversations at Locarno,
and there was no faith or confidence
in world opinion that such a pact
could be possible or sincere. This
deep-rooted fear was now overcome at
last. said DR.. Stresemann, not by
legal clauses, but by the firm resolve
Of political leaders to have faith in
each other.
A new form of diplomacy succeeded
old diplomatic traditions Gradually
public opinion in each country has
been converted to these new ideas.
After great political opposition the
overwhelming majority of the German
people stand behind this policy which
is now merged in the spirit of the
League Of Nations. with which thew
intend to cooperate.
Leagues Spirit That Counts.
Dir, Stresemann hopes for the de.
velopment of this faith and under
standing and pointed out that il is the
spirit behind the League of Nations
and not the letter of its law which
makes advance possible IT was not
so much what BRAND said in his bril-
tam speech which was important but
he mere fact that public opinion in
his own country allowed him to make
such speeches
The significance Of NV own
speech" said Dr. Stresemann. "was
not its actual words but the public
opinion in Germany enabling me to
express those ideals"
Referring to one matter which has
caused some uneaSineSS in England
and other countries, Dr. Stresemann
denied with great emphasis that the
economic agreement between Germany
and France. Just completed. was in
any way directed against Great
Britain or contains any hidden men.
ace. 1t was. he said. necessitated by
the treaty of Versailles. which gave
German iron fields in Lorraine to
France. French and German econo.
mists and manufacturers had been
pace-makers for politicians and indus
trial cooperation would help to break
down political boundaries
These statements by Dr. Stresemann
were, I am certain. perfectly sincere.
But of course they leave unsaid vari.
Gus outstanding problems which very
soon must test all these emotional
sentiments spoken by German and
French delegates. Will France, fo-
The pact of Locarno Will be meaning
less if that is not done. because mill
taIN occupation is now incompatible
with these mutual guarantees safe
guarding French and German iron.
tiers. German public opinion. as Dr.
Stresemann admitted TO me. is impa-
tient for immediate results of this
kind. and IN my judgment France.
oven under Poircare. will make a
gesture of concession in that way and
withdraw her troops
Like most other observers of the
League of Nations trained in skepti-
cism by ten years history. l find my
self constantly doubling the sincerity
of national delegates. consta ntlN filled
with suspicion lest beneath their fair.
sounding words there should be pri-
waite reservations. plots and national
combinations to thwart solemn pledges
and public agreements.
There are times when all this ideal.
ism in Geneva seems out of touch
with national ambitions. passions.
racial urges and stresses. Yet l must
ooofosS That tbeSe doubts q 70 rahuked