Evening star., 1928-01-29
BY FRANK II. SIMONDS.

lDARIs.-It would be difficult to
- imagine any single episode which
i ference between American and
European thought on the sub
| ject of peace than that Of the dis
cussions between Washington and Paris
concerning the project 70 outlaw war.
Quite patiently this proposal as 1t
came from Secretary Kellogg. in his
letter replying to the original proposal
of M. BRAND, represented program
| which was taken seriously both by the
American Government and people
Manifestly In their minds 1t stood for
| something which. II accepted. might
/ contribute to the maintenance and ex-
tension of peace in the world.
Viewed In It's European setting, how
ever, what did the same proposal
mean?
Does Not Share Idea.
OF itself practically nothing. And
this was the case because no European
| country shares even remotely the
American idea that war can be pre-
vented by resolution or outlawed by
treaties.
So far as France and BRAND were
concerned the original BRAND proposal
meant Just this: Word had been con-
yeyed 70 Paris that American opinion.
at least so far as 1t was voiced oy the
famous Senator Borah. was inclining TO
look with approval upon the proposal
to outlaw war by some international
operation which one might vaguely
compare to the taking OF the pleoge.
where alcohol Is concerned.
What then could be more attractive
as a diplomatic operation than TO pro-
pose such a treaty? In the first place
Il could do no harm, because the posi-
bility Of war between the United states
and France simply does not exist In any
mind. In the second place the traoi-
tional Franco American frienoSnip
perhaps little cooled on the American
side by the debt policy OF France.
might be revived by such step. In.
deed, with Dawes plan revision ano
new debt conversations looming. II
might prove q good preparatory move
on the other hand. with nationaI
elections coming on In France ana In
the United States. both governments
might find some value In q new for
eicn success and specifically the Poin.
care cabinet might claim that 1t had
restored Franco-American friendship.
Paris Takes Alarm.
When. however. the American Gov
ernment proposed 70 extend the
declaration outlawing war, and to in
vite many II not all nations 70 subscribe.
then Paris at once took alarm. And
the French government took alarm be-
cause this apparently innocent and
moral project laid an ak at the whole
structure of peace in Europe. as eStao-
| lished and maintained through the
League OF Nations. In q word. It put
| all French security instantly In leop-
ardy.
Instantly to the French mind the
new American proposal became as dam
eerous as that other proposal enlanat-
| ing from shingtou-namely. parity
during the Geneva Naval Conference.
appeared in British eyes.
Obviously this was true because the
fundamental conception Of the League
establish the conditions on which war
must be made by all member nations.
To put the thing concretely. the COW
enant Of the League provides that IL
any nation attacks q member country
In fashion pronounced by the council
OF the League to be unprovoked. it Is
the business OF all member nations 70
use their resources. military. naval and
economic. against the aggreSsor.
What then would be the situation II
Germany. for example. should one day
attack Poland. Germany having signed
the Kellogg contract France by the
terms OF her alliance with Poland would
be bound 10 so 70 war for her But
by her adhesion to the Kellogg inssru-
nient France would have outlaSed war
as a procedure at any time In her re-
lationS with Germany
Alliance Is Element.
But the Polish alliance is one OF the
chief elements In the whole series Of
treaties OF alliance by which France
insured her own security. when the
United States rejected the treaty Of
guarantee which President Wilson gave
Clemenceau during the Paris Peac.
Conference
Continental countries. like France
instantly raised their voices against the
notion that peace IN Europe could Be-
preserved by plasonic utterances AS
well undertake to eliminate cancer by