Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-03-08
FATE Of LOCARNO
ANDLEAGUE HANGS
ON COUNCIL FIGHT
Nations Are Nervous While
Awaiting Momentous SeS-
sion to Allot Seats.
IMPENDING CRISIS TESTS
PEACE HOPES OF EUROPE
Germany Insistent on Right to En-
ter League Alone, But May
Relax Slightly.
BY EDGAR .ANSEL MOWRER.

BY EDGAR ANSEL MOWRER.
BY RADIO to The Star and Chicsgo Daily News.
GENEVA. March 8.--The future of
The League of Nations, which is Eu-
ropes conscience, and the spirit of
Locarno. which is Europe's best hope
for peace. are seriously threatened.
After vigorous discussions Sunday
between the five so-called Locafno
powers-Great Britain, France, Ger
many, Belgium and Italy-it must be
said that there is the possibility of a
major European crisis, which would
not only be fatal to the league. but
would seem to prove the impossibility
of European countries working to-
gether.
The dress rehearsal" for what
should be the greatest historical event
since the signing of the treaty of Yer
sailles resulted in postponement OF
the performance. The statesmen
after three or four hours of extremely
frank exposure of their several view
points. separated without being able
to agree just what, if any, play
they will stage later. Until Aristide
BRAND returns from Paris as chief,
or at least as a member of the new
cabinet, the august rGprese natives OF
So other nations must kick their heels
idly or satisfy their dramatic thirst
with conjecture and their ambitions
with routine.
Germany Is Insistent.
After Sundays frank talk several
viewpoints are more clear. The Ger
mans insist that until they and they
alone are elected to the League Assem-
bly, and to permanent membership in
the council no other council candidacy
or plan of enlargement OF the council
can even he considered. and If this
claim Is not fulfilled they threaten to
return Immediately to Berlin. They
do not oppose the entrance of Poland
to the council, but they insist that II
must follow their own entrance.
The British viewpoint is double.
first. that the Germans must he per-
suaded TO enter the League, and
second, that the Spaniards should be
given a permanent seat in the council.
apparently in exchange for services
rendered to Great Britain in the Mos
lem dispute. The French viewpoint
Is that the Germans must he persuaded
to allow the Poles to obtain council
seat, not necessarily a permanent one,
as soon as possible. If this requires
the admission of Spain or Brazil to
the council the more the merrier.
Sweden Stumbling Block.
The Swedish premier. Under. has
viewpoint all his own and this might
nrove to be a stumbling block to
agreements made by the major power
without him. Under. who possesses
characteristic Scandinavian firmness.
represents the Socialist party OF
Sweden When he returned to Sweden
after the Mosul decision he almost re-
ceived a vote of censure from his
party Today he stands with a per
emptorv mandate to veto the admis-
sion to the council of any country ex-
cept Germany. 1t is possible that
Under might persist in maintaining
this viewpoint, even if the Germans
finally were willing to compromise.
Meanwhile the seats Of the mighty
are shaking. Strzynski. elegant and
debonnatre Pole. chatting gracefully
In the Hotel BerCueS. sometimes has
sinking heart for here in Geneva Is
a short. square bearded little man.
leader of the Christian Nationalist
party in Poland. who has sworn
that unless SkrZvnski returns to War
saw with a ticket to A permanent
council seat in his pocket his politi-
cal head must fall
eign minister. too. spoke with some
what of an overemphasis to British
correspondents about the absolute
necessity of not leaving Geneva until
Germany is in the league. Also
another unhappy man is Mello
Franco. Suave Brazilian on whom
his own country also has served a
kind of ultimatum to get BraZil's
temporary place in the council made
might feel unhappy if he were not
SO absolutely determined to obey the
wishes of his hackers in Sweden.
Germany Must Enter Alone.
Summing up. it can be said that
every one is agreed that Germany
must enter the council alone in the
dignity which her power and tradi-
tons require. and that the war
Ratchet must be thereby definitely
buried.
The problems are Poland and
Spain. The correspondent believes
that Poland is sure To get something
but between the immediate perma-
nent place in the council desired by
Poland and her hacker. France, and
the vague promise of non-perma-
nent place in September. which the
Germans. perhaps, would he willing
to give, there is an abyss.
A shocker arrived Sunday. namely,
an unConfirmed rumor of a letter to
Sir Eric Drummond from the King
OF Spain personally. containing
veiled ultimatum that Spain must
have permanent seat in the council
or Spain will withdraw from the
league The fact is the Spaniards
fear that unless they use their pres
ant temporarv noSitiOn in the council
to clinch permanent seat, they will
never again have an opportunity to
secure prestige by official world rec
ognition as a great power"
OF the other candidates for the
council-Persia, Brazil and China
little is heard. 1t is amusing to note
that the league officially ignores ali
of those except China, which has
made a written request. 1t is won
dered just which of the warning
Chinese chieftains had the idea.
hv nail Ne RI /