Evening star., 1926-09-05

to the league, but In prictice this
would be difficult If not impossible.
Moreover, Chamberlain, BRAND and
Stresemann are sincerely hocarnists.
For all three this new system of Eu-
ropean peace has a very real mean
ing 1t is their handiwork, they
have fought for it at home, they have
achieved International reputation by
virtue of having made it and in the
last analysis they are likely to fight
to save it. Their final agreement at
Geneva last March over the Polish
compromise is good evidence of this
feeling.
Again, on the whole, they trust each
other. they, have become accustomed
to dealing with each other and there
is a real personal adjustment. which
counts for more than one believes
commonly in international affairs.
Even in the heat of the Geneva crisis
last Spring there was no real hostil-
ity between Stresemann and BRAND.
Each recognized the other was facing
domestic political difficulties and try
ing to find compromise which would
save his face and yet preserve the
LOcarnO arrangement.
Old Difficulties Remain.
Yet one must perceive that the old
difficulties within the league remain
the rivalry between great and small
powers. the unsatisfactory machinery
by which council members are chosen,
the tendency of great powers to ig-
more and coerce small. There is a
profound league resentment over the
fact that the great powers went out
side the league and made the Lo
carno agreements without regard to
the league. and then undertook to
make the league Il mere registering
board. even in the matter of the allo-
cation of council seats.
There are. too. all sorts Of politics
within the league--rivalries between
smaller states for council seats. The
consent of Benes to resign his seat in
favor of Poland last Spring very near
lY split the little entente, for the seat
belonged by reversion to Rumania,
and if it were retained by Poland the
little entente would find itself for the
first time unrepresented in the coun-
Gil. Holland, Switzerland and athe
Scandinavian states have a standing
agreement which gives each in rota-
ton a seat on the council. Belgium
has held hers by reason of the sur
viving memories of the great part
played by her in the war. Spain has
pean neutrals
Moreover. in the council Belgium,
Czechoslovakia and from time to time
Spain have stood with France. One
great objection to the admission of
Poland has been that it would auto
matically give France another seat.
That Is the key to British hostility
Balance May Be Upset.
When Germany comes in she is
bound to upset the balance and seek
to make new combinations. Again, as
the little entente is breaking up and
Jugosiavia and Rumania are tending
toward Italy, still another combina-
ton may presently be sketched In
a word. the council is becoming the
center of endless intrigueS and the
place Of collision of many rivalries
The weakness of the league has
been and remains that the men who
attend the sessions officially are pri-
marily the agents of their own coun-
tries and only incidentally members
of the league. They come to Geneva
as advocates of national causes, and
they are only ready to act impartial
ly and in the spirit of the league
where their own national interests are
not affected or are affected favorably.
Agreement on schemes for the re-
habilitatiOn of Austria or Hungary
are relatively easy to make, because
,all countries are willing to see these
small countries put on their feet
financially.
But when the Polish ally of France
seizes Wilma. when Italy goes to Corfu
Continued on Fourth Paoe1