Evening star., 1927-04-03
WILL TO ACREE'' GREAT FACTOR
In MAINTAINING PEACE ABROAD
Sir Herbert B. Ames Sees New Policy Among
Nations of Europe Replacing Old Diplomacy and
Likewise Promoting Greater Degree of Faith.

The twill to agree" as distinguished
from the old diplomatic method OF
"get all and surrender nothing" is
the great single influence which is
maintaining peace in Europe today
and assuring the eventual dissipation
of the fear and mistrust which caused
wars in the past. This statement Is
made by Sir Herbert B. Ames,
formerly an official of the Canadian
government and until last August
financial director of the League of
Nations, writing on The Changing
Spirit of Europe" in the current issue
of the League of Nations News, pub
lished by the League of Nations Non
Partisan Association.
Sir Herbert for seven years was
occupied with the internal financial
affairs of the League of Nations at
Geneva. which he characterizes as
IAN efficient and effective organiza-
ton. used and trusted by It's members
dealing with the major problems OF
Europe, of whose permanence there
was no longer a shadow OF doubt
He writes as one who looks on In
ternational questions from the Geneva
standpoint.
II should be making a very far
reaching statement" says Sir Her.
bert. 'if 1 were to claim that the
spirit of Europe, as we viewed it in
1919, has undergone complete
change and | should be going still
further, supposing that you admit
that there has been some change for
the better, were to affirm that the
Improvement is due entirely to the
efforts of the League of Nations.
make no such sweeping claims. What
I do affirm, however, is that there
exists today no better indicator--no
better thermometer, so to speak
whereby we can determine the nature
and extent of this change, than that
which can be found in the develop
ments at Geneva
sir Herbert's article outlines the
organization of the League Assembly,
the Council and the Secretariat. He
takes as a specific example of the
changing spirit of Europe the seventh
Assembly Of the League last Septem-
Der. at which Germany was admitted
To membership. Germany was not
on the list of states eligible for men,
bership without the formality of an
election. When she applied in 1919,
her demand was received with Scant
ceremony. France and Belgium were
the chief obtectors. They still pos
sessed the old fear and mistrust.
In 1924, says Sir Herbert, came the
Dawes agreement and the realization
by France that her coerciye measures
toward Germany had been unsuccess-
full. In the meantime the League had
been growing in strength and infiu-
ence and France now turned to 1t for
an agreement for assuring general
peace. She failed in getting this, but
the next year found satisfaction and
tranquility In the LocaIno treaties.
These treaties stipulated that Germany
should enter the League. Sir Herbert
then gives complete account Of the
remarkable occasion on which Herr
Stresemann, for Germany, and M.
BRAND, for France, pledged their two
countries to peaceful agreement.
The determination of these two
former enemies to solve their prob.
lens by the conference method as
typifled by the League, says Sir Her
bert, illustrates his point that the
will to agree" Is dominant in Europe
today The article continues:
Formerly when statesmen came to
international gatherings it was with
a clear program OF what their state
demanded and fixed determination to
get all and surrender nothing, Better
| to return empty handed than to be
considered as having. even in the
smallest degree. sacrificed your coun.
trys interests. Today 1t is different