Evening star., 1927-03-05
POWERS TO COME
. TO GRIPS IN GENEVA
League Council Session Mon
day Likely to Be Dominated
by Anglo Russian Issue.
BY PAUL SCOTT MOWRER.

U
By Cable to The Star and Chicago Daily
News. Copyright. 1927.
PARIS, March 5-Europe once more
apparently Is on the verge Of i'm
portant diplomatic events. Foreign
Ministers BRAND. Chamberlain and
Stresemann will meet at Geneva Mon
day as members of the council Of the
League OF Nations. The councils
agenda Ia relatively uninteresting. But
there will be much interest in the
private conversation OF these states
men.
Nobody doubts that these conver-
sations will be dominated by the crisis
In Anglo. Russian relations. which bid
fair to affect all the great powers for
some time to come. While Soviet
Russia Is endeavoring to unite all
Asia against Western powers, par
ticularly Great Britain; while she Is
arming and directing the Chinese
Nationalists and making treaties with
Turkey, Persia and Afghanistan: while
she is intensifying her propa ganda In
India and working steadily TO dfsag
greeate the political combinations OF
non Soviet states on Russia's western
border. Great Britain is thoroughly
alarmed and angered and now Is ac-
lively defending its interest by utiliz-
ing all its ast diplomatic resources
against Russia.
Big Issue In China.
Rup,ure of Anglo Russian relations
is regarded everywhere In Europe as
possibility entailing unforseeable
conseouence. Moreover, before the
Sha nrhai Chinese Nationalists, advised
bv Russians and haing In their ranks
some 1000 Russian officers. stand
some 10000 British troops. battle.
IL II occurs. will involve not only
Great Britain and China, but will In
volve indirectly Great Britain and
Russia.
Dipjomatic action in the Baltic
States has been intensif1ed Dotn Dy
Great Britain and Russia. Great Brit
ain always has supported these states,
whose very existence tends to shut
! Russia. off from the Baltic. Russia has
heen irving to overcome the British In
fuence by offering these states
treaties of non-aggression. Russia Will
promise not to attack Finland, Latvia
and Esthonia IL they will agree under
no circumstances. even under the
League covenant, to participate in ac-
ton against Russia. After nine months
of negotiation. Finland has refused the
Russian proposal. OF Esthonia and
Latvia Russia demands that they shall
make no treaties considered in any
way hostile to Russian interests.
Tension In Baltic Region.
Fo,,owfnr the last hostile inter
change of notes between Great Britain
and Russia the latter now has sent a
brusoue note TO Latvia and Esthonla
demanding an immediate answer TO
the Russian proposals. The result Is
growing tension in the Baltic region
Meanwhile, Great Britain's whole
eastern European policy seems 10
have changed suddenly. From being
rather hostile to Poland, Great Britain
has become exceedingly friendly. She
ia irving to persuade Lithuania to
make up the old quarrel with the
Poles. She is asking Germany TO re-
sumo commercial relations with Po-
land.
Pols nd. delighted at this British sup
port, is ready, the writer Ia informed.
to make an allia nee with Great Britain
for any purpose. If the latter will
guarantee her for 90 years in her
present frontiers, especially against
possible German attack. Great Britain
is unwilling to go that far for the
present. one TeaSoh IL tndt 0reat
Britain needs Germany in its anti
Russian combination.
Germany WIN Bargain.
But German policies are based on
the idea of keeping a careful balance
between Great Britain and Russia: II
Germany consents to the British diplo-
matte plans. she will certainly ask
Great Britain for support In realizing
certain major German aims. for exam
pie, immediate evacuation of the
Rhineland or revision of Germany's
eastern frontiers at Polands expense.
1t ii such questions which will be the
real issue at Geneva Monday.
All Europe will watch intently the
outcome of the Geneva conversations.
To some extent, the fate of Shanghai
itself perhaps depends upon them.