Evening star., 1928-05-13
GERMAN PEACE ADVOCACY
SEEN ASONLY ALTERNATIVE
Endorsement of Kellogg Proposal Laid
to Neighboring Nations Superior
Armament and Dawes Plan.


to be impossible for Germany TO make
war and every protection against war
Is in reality an advantage for them.
Physically today Germany Is at the
mercy of her neighbors. And with the
new frontiers Berlin is barely a hundred
miles from both the Czechoslovak and
the Polish frontiers. Together Poland
and CZechoslovakia have not only more
troops but more Of the mechanical IN
struments of war than the Germans.
Therefore any international contract
which reduces the chances that her
neighbors use their superior ornaments
is for Germany all to the good.
On the other hand, the situation Of
the former allies is not quite so simple
Britain is bound by the Locarno pacts
to defend the present western frontiers
OF France, Belgium and Germany
against any aggression. She cannot
therefore consent to any proposal TO
outlaw war, which does not leave her
free to carry out her contract. France
has given precisely the same guaran-
tees to Poland and to CzechosIoyakia
and must seek the same freedom.
France Wants Hands Free.
Finally, under the covenant Of the
League of Nations, all member countries
have undertaken vague but not less
patent obligation to stand with any
country the victim of a willful aggres-
sion on the part of some third nation.
This could easily be interpreted by the
French as a justification for coming to
the aid of the JHgoslavs, for example.
If they were nenaced by the Italians.
Given the bad blood which has existed
between France and italy during the
whole of the past decade and the in
herent threat to France of Italian as
pirations, such course would be al
most inevitable. Here. again, then.
France Is bound to seek reservations
which would leave her hands free.
Similar contracts, all defensive and
all registered with the League Of Ma
tions, bind Rumania, Czechoslovakia
and JugoSlavia in the little entente,
directed against Hungarian aspirations
to regain the old frontiers of the
crown of st. Stephen and also bind
Poland and Rumania in the face Of
possible Russian attack Finally Italy
has the same sort of agreement with
Albania, and Britain, ever since the
| Napoleonic time, has been a guar
antor of Portugal
| Undoubtedly the French would vel
come any new declaration on the part
| Of the Germans to reuounce war.
| While the French, like all continental
| peoples. do not share the American
enthusiasm for proposals which are, IN
| fact. mere declarations of moral re-
solve without any accompanying
physical guarantees of fulhlment. they
! are aware of the fact that even these
contracts make it harder for any coun-
| try to undertake a war But naturally
the French insist that the German
sdeclaration shall go beyond a contract
with the great powers. with whom
there Is no chance that she would un-
| dertake q war.
| Problem Of Eastern Frontiers.
| The problem of peace in Europe TO-
day. so far as 1t directly concerns Ger
many. Is problem Of the eastern
| frontiers and rf Austria. Germany did
| agree at Locarn0 not to seek to re-
cover her lost provinces IN the East
by war. She is bound by the treaty
L. Versailles not to undertake q union
with Austria against the win Of other
countries. which means In practice,
Poland France and CzechoSlovakia
But, while renouncing the recovery Of
the Corridor by arms and bowing to
the decision of the conqueror In the
matter Of Austria at the moment, Ger
| many has never disguised her de-
termination not to accept her present
eastern boundaries and the agitation
for the union with Austria grows rather
than decreases.
As for the British. their assent TO
Mr.. Kellogg'S proposal was assured
always. recognizing. of course, that
they are bound to stipulate that the
new engagement does not vitiate the
Locarno contract or the League Of Ma
tons obligations. 1t falls in more with
British than with continental concep-
tHa p~fS
thing Of the American fondneSs for
this form of declaration and quite the
same suspicion Of the continental con-
tract which carries with it sanctions
and Is in fact an alliance
Where Does Course Lead:
For all Europe. too. the American
proposal has certain rather definite con-
notattons. II We join. or lead the
world, In making contract outlawing
war and one OF the Signatory powers
presently does precipitate a war. what
viii our course be- win we ioin with
the other Signatores in coercing the
aggreSSor? Will We at least waive our
maritime rights and not interfere with
European combination, with League
OF Nations crusade against the az
SreSsor, which would gain most OF It's
effectiveness through the use Of the
British fleet and the application Of q
blockade?
Accompanied by such reservations as
the various powers feel essential. Sec
retary Kellogg'S proposal IS now almost
certain 70 be ratified by substantially
al the nations OF Europe Morally. too.
1t Will undoubtedly marx gain. But
ON the material side 1t Is totally un-
likely that Ii will have any considerable
effect upon the European situation or
hasten progress toward disarmament.
tCpnVright ioSSl