Evening star., 1926-09-05

CZechOSIOvak1a maQe way Tor POianQ
Thus Poland would appear but only
holding a temporary mandate and
only if elected by the votes of the as.
sembly, which remained in doubt
Germany accepted this because nc
new seat was created and she could
not technically claim to influence
events before she became a member
this compromise, of course being put
in effect before she came in. France
assented because Poland was to get
something, and there was patiently no
hope for more.
Thus by the second Tuesday Of the
meeting, which. it had been expected,
would be over in three days, the diff
ficulty which had bulked largest and
concentrated all world attention was
eliminated, Aot without leaving much
bitterness, however. But now there
arose a new complications: Brazil
which had steadfastly maintained that
she would, as a.council member, veto
German admission unless she received
a permanent seat, announced that she
intended to persevere in her determi-
nation, while Spain, which had been
equally 'insistent, announced that she
would retire If she did not also get a
permanent seat. Twentyfour hours of
desperate effort failed entirely to
move Brazil, and in a memorable ses-
sion the Brazilian spokesman brought
the Geneva session to a close by re-
affirming his irrevocable veto. Ger
many was still outside the league.
Locarno was still incomplete, and hard
on the heels of these things came the
notice of Brazilian withdrawal from
the league and Spanish abstention
until Spain should be duly admitted to
a permanent seat.
Many Changes Follow.
Such, briefly, was the history of the
March meeting. Since that time there
have been many changes. The Luther
cabinet has fallen, the BRAND cabinet
Is gone, Marx and Poincare have re.
placed Luther and BRAND, although
Stresemann and BRAND may meet as
foreign ministers at the new session.
Poland has had a revolution and will
send another representative. Belgium
is in a full crisis, political and finan-
cial Even in CZechoslovakia a polit-
ica1 upset has changed the situation
of Benes materially and compelled his
withdrawal, not as foreign minister,
but as a member of Parliament. Only
Italy and Britain return with un-
changed conditions.
Marx, who has succeeded Luther,
is committed to the Locarno policy
with membership in the League as an
essential detail. But Germany has in
the meantime made a separate treaty
with Soviet Russia which has aroused
apprehensions both in Paris and Lon.
don. This treaty has led to no little
recrimination and has, justly or un-
Justly. q little shaken the Western
belief in the depth of German absorp-
ton of the spirit of LOcarno.
Poincare in France has come back
not to conduct foreign policy but to
save the franc and it may be doubted
If he will seek to interfere much with
the action Of BRAND at Geneva, but
he is almost certain to urge and even
impose a championship of Polish
claims even more active than that of
BRAND in the Spring. And Poland re-
mains candidate for a scat on the
council. The old issue survives, 1t is
only the compromises which have
gone by the board, nor is there any
real reason to suppose Germany will
be more willing now than six months
ago to see Poland admitted to sit
beside her on the council.
Franco German Relations.
On the whole it is fair to say that
F'ranco-German relations, despite the
Russian treaty, have bettered rather
than worsened in the delay. the COM
mercial agreement recently signed be-
ing sound evidence to this Afact.
Neither in Paris nor in Berlin is there
real reason to think that the public
or political opinion has been modi-