Evening star., 1927-07-14
BALKAN RIFT SPURS
WAR-PACT DEMAND
British Laborites Await Only
FrenCh-U. S. Treaty to
Outlaw Conflict.
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.

News. Copyright, 1927.
LONDON, July 14.-When Arthur
Ponsonby, undersecretary for foreign
affairs in the former Labor cabinet,
tried to force Foreign Minister Cham
berlain into a definite statement last
night regarding the pact for outlawry
of war. which now has been adopted
definitely by the Labor party. the for
eign secretary avoided committing
himself by skHr9l oratory, stating:
"War between this country and the
United States is OutlaWed. not only
on paper. but in the heart and soul
of every citizen Of the British Empire.
I know it is here and ! hope it is in
the great republic"
Liberals and Isaborites are awaiting
the result Of the French proposal for
a war outlaWry pact in order to in
clude officially on their political plat
forms a similar pact between Great
Britain and the United States, which
they say will render useless further
disarmament conferences and de-
fensive alliances. which do nothing but
increases. suspicion and cause i'll feel
Ing among nations.
Situation Held PTecariOus.
The picture of the state of Europe
drawn by Pons0nhy was extremely
gloomy, but unfortunately true. Mr.
Chamberlains brilliant rhetoric could
not dispel the feeling that nine years
after the conclusion Of the World
War the situation is so precarious
that it is at the mercy of the slightest
incident.
War clouds are gathering in eastern
Europe BY 1880 Italy will have
ready fully equipped army Of nearly
100000 men supplied with the most
up-tC-datc weapons.
The Turks and the Jugoslavs, who
feel directly threatened by Italy's war
preparations, now are discussing a
military alliance, FenZi PaSha, the
Turkish chief of staff, having reached
Belgrade last Friday - conclude ne
gotiations which started a few months
ago. If an agreement is reached both
countries viii intensity their war
preparations and, according to reli-
able military experts, will he able 10
put in the field at least 100000 men.
Although Mr.. Chamberlain stated
that Great Britain has no secret
treaty with a European power, it is
an open secret that the British cabinet
-
Balkans in exchange for Dictator Mus
solini's promise that he will abandon
an aggressive policy toward France.
Encouraged by Soviet.
The Turko-Jugoslav negotiations are
being followed closely and encouraged
by the Soviet government, which, ac-
cording to the latest information
reaching London, is promising Turkey
material support in the event she is
attacked. Although the Turks have
ample reason to suspect Russia's good
intentions, they are compelled to ac-
cept the Soviets' support on account
of the imminent danger from Italy.
SO far as Jugoslavia is concerned.
they have no reason to fear Bolshevik
influence and are readily Influenced
by the Soviet government that "Slav
countries must be united to avert the
Latin menace. backed by the Anglo
Saxon imperialists."
Mr.. Chamberlain is aware of all
these dangers threatening European
peace and for this reason in a skillful
answer to the labor leader he avoided
the main issues and contented him.
self with emphasizing how helpful
British intervention was in the settle
men of minor questions such as the
Greco Bulgarian frontier incidents,
settlement Of the Iraq question and
the financial reconstruction of Austria
and Hungary.