Evening star., 1927-03-13
CERMAN-POLISH QUARREL
REOPENED BY explosions
Appearance of Nationalists i'm New
Berlin Cabinet Seen as Leading
to Unfriendly Turn.

/ Any such expansion of German
strength. therefore, means for France
! the destruction of the balance of
! power in Europe, the restoration of
! that Mitteleuropa which was one of
| the chief war aims of Hohenzollern
| Germany. Thus France not only
! vetoes both the German program on
the eastern frontier. but also the
union with Austria. AS the defender
of both Polish and Czech territorial
| integrity, however, France becomes
| once more the foe of Germany.
German Hope Lies i'm Russia.
As things stand the Germans do
not expect to obtain any immediate
realization for their projects. The
real German hope lies in Russia.
| Sooner or later the Germans expect
| to see Russia return as a powerful
| and imperialistic state. 1t is new
partition of Poland that German
| opinion looks forward to on the day
Russia, becomes again a great power
| and an imperialistic nation.
Two things have. however. hap
pened in recent weeks to trouble the
German program. The quarrel be-
tween the Soviet government and
pGreat Britain has resulted In grow
ing interest on the British part in
Poland. On the whole British opin.
ion, official and otherwise, has always
tended to take the German view of
the Polish question. On the other
hand, in any conflict of interests be-
tween Soviet Russia and Great Brit
ain, Poland is an obviously valuable
ally to the British.
Beyond this circumstance lies the
fact that Poland offers an attractive
field for economic development. And
it is the growing British interest in
Poland economically as well as po-
litically which has awakened appre
hension in Berlin.
Germania Has Bolted.
Meantime within Germany there
has been a surprising explosion on the
part Of Germania, the great news
paper organ of the Catholic Center.
This newspaper has bOlted the new
coalition government, which is headed
by DR.. Marx, a member of the Center.
And at the same time it has begun
an agitation in favor of an entente
rather than a continued struggle with
the Poles.
This explosion of Germania is
the first significant sign of any divi-
sion of opinion in Germany over the
Polish question. 1t opens very wide
possibilities for the future. because
it at least hints at the possibility of
the removal of the issue which on the
whole most gravely threatens Euro.
pean peace in the relatively distant
future.
For a long time to come the Pol.
ish question will be the touchstone
OF Franco-German relations. France
is resolved to maintain Polish integ-
rity. 1t regards Polish military sup.
port as essential to its own security.
1t believes that German military sue
cess over Poland would be the pre-
lude to fresh German attack upon
France. 1t demands German accept
ance of the Polish territorial situation
as the real condition of Franco-Ger.
man reconciliation.
Dependent on England.
On the other hand Germany is and
remains in many ways dependent
upon Great Britain. British influence
in Berlin has been since 1924. that is
since the making of the Dawes plan
In London. almost unbelievably power
full. If Great Britain is now to become
increasingly hostile to Russia, follow
ing Russian intrigue in the East and
particularly in China, the British sup
port of Poland will prove embarrassing
to Anglo-German relations and advan-
tageous to Anglo French cooperation.
For. in reality, it is the Polish issue
which has most troubled Anglo French
cooperation since the Ruhr.
Meantime the whole domestic politi-
cal situation within Germany is the
most interesting in Europe. The Ma
tionalists have at last consented to en-
ter cabinet and have been forced to
give very categorical pledges respect.
ing their acceptance of the republic
and the policy of Locarno But while
they have given the pledges under
pressure, they have indicated a sus-
picious eagerness to interpret the
promises in such fashion as to make
them meaningless. Thus German pub
lie opinion is very far from reconciled
and the cabinet is steadily in a pre-
carious situation.
On the other hand, the fact that Ma
tionalists have taken Office has re-
suited in awakening foreign suspicion
and has brought to an end the imme.
date hope of any evacuation of Ger.
man territory. 1t remains to be seen
whether the combination of foreign
and domestic hostility will bring down
the Marx cabinet. Meantime the fight
with Poland must be set down to Ma
tionalist influence. 1t is the first au-
thentic sign of the spirit which con-
trolls at the moment.
Copyright. 1927