Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-05
BY FRANK Fl. SIMONDs.

s it Of net The for TACT the v fif9ui
wv discloses there would be more
than passing humor in the
complete contradiction in the
conclusions Europe and America have
drawn from the general acceptance of
the Kellogg proposal to outlaw war.
For Europe this American proposal has
been accepted as the clear evidence OF
the change In opinion with respect Of
participation in European affairs, a
change which it is conjectured has oc-
Cured since the rejection Of the League
of Nations and the failure of the Senate
to ratify the treaty of Versailles. For
America there is the calm assumption
that something has been done to fortify
European peace.
If one reads between the lines OF
European comment it is plain that with
varying degrees of optimism all journals
and public men are equally certain that
Mr.. Kellogg's proposal is the conse-
quence of the steady growth of Amer1-
can appreciation of what Europe re-
CARDS as the postwar blunder Incl
dent to our reversion to our traditional
policy of isolation. 80 you are COM
ing back to Europe, at last" this was
the burden of many, many comments
made to me last Spring In Europe
when the kellogg proposal was under
consideration.
Hint Of League Approval.
In Geneva, of course, the American
! gesture was interpreted as one more
| evidence of growing American desire
| to join the league. This belief was
| fortified by the fact that in the Swiss
city and lowering about the league it.
self are a certain number of Americans
who have found it pleasant for them
selves and pleasing for their audience
| to keep up a perpetual barrage OF
| prophecy designed not merely to keer
| alive the idea that America would
| eventually enter the League, but also tC
encourage the belief that such a STEP
! was imminent.
i But while relatively few in Paris OF
| in London would accept the Geneva
notion that the kellogg proposal fore.
| shadows any immediate American ap
! plication to sit in the Hall of the Refor'
| nation or in the glass cage of the ole
/ Hotel National which is the present
league palace. 1t is unmistakable thai
| in both capitals there is a belief tina
| American opinion is changing. that WI
are getting back to the WilSoniar
| conception of world solidarity and tina
t the Kellogg proposal is an indication
| that prestige and policy alike are driv
/ ing us back to close relations with thC
old continent.
General Conclusion Outlined.
America Is coming back to Europe.
That is the first and the general con
cluSion. Geneva thinks 1t means com
n the S~k-
Great Britain and France, on the con
tinent generally, see the recent episod
| as the evidence OF very far-reachin
revolution In American opinion. In tn
main Europe has always believed "
would come back, because she ha
never been able to conceive of our stay
ing away. Naturally all European opin
ION begins with the assumption tina
Europe is the center of the planet, tn
center of the world political system
hence our isolation seems eccentric, ex
plicable only as a detail in our Devil
dering political quarreling.
But If the optimiSts as a rule see i'm
mediate and enormous changes forecas
by the Kellogg suggestion, the NOR
sober and conservative observers, Will
accepting the general thesis that ther,
has been a change IN American opin
4
| to the point where our application Il
| enter the League will be shortly forth
coming or any proposal for really con
| tractual relation with Europe viii erna'
nate from Washington. That will hap
| pen in good time. they believe. but no
yet.
See u. 5. Morally Committed.
| For these conservative observers thI
fc
| 1t commits the United States, morally
at least, to accept the practice outlined
| by the League agreements 10 be EN-,
| ployed against any aggreSSor nation
| In word, there Is the belief that hav.
| ing proposed our treaty to outlaw war
| and having been joined by many Euro
pean states in making II law, We shall
| be bound TO join with these states
| which are, incidentally. members of tn.
| League--in any action to discipline
| such an aggreSsor.
| The covenant Of the League envi.
| ssges collective war against any az.
| greSsor nation. This collective war ma,
/ be waged by armies and navieS or hy
| economic and financial weapons, or BY
| both, But there is a growing European
belief that the real method of applying
| these sanctions is by economic rather
| than military means Such mean:
would, however, be of very little avail
| If the United States should at the out
| set announce that 1t purpoSed TO trade
| with the aggreSSor nation and 70 lend
| 1t money on security.
Possible Instance Cited.
Given our financial strength and the
additional fact that our Navy Is. III
| theory at least. equal to the British
and certainly superior 10 all others. Eu.
rope would hesitate 10 take steps
against Italy. for example. If Italian
policy on the shores of the Adriatic led
to clash with the Serbs. clash for
which the League held Italy reSpon-
Sible. The same hesitation would be
disclosed II Germany, IN defiance OF
her treaty contract, should undertake
to bring about the union Of Austria
with the Reich
Europe thinks and believes that. now
we have associated ourselves with the
nations of the other continent In out
having war. We are bound, II not 70
take arms In company with those ma
tons, to discipline a nation making war
in defiance of the Keliogg resolution.
That means. in simple terms, that We
will respect any blockade imposed by
the League and refrain from lending
money to any aggreSSor,
Finally. there are even more eonserya-
tive observers who limit their estimate
of the consequences 10 the simple fact
that we have taken n pledge against war
and are TO that extent committed not
TO resort to hoStilitieS. Hitherto. since
we did not subscribe TO the covenant
OF the League, we were without any
technical restraint such as the League
powers had voluntarily put upon them
selves,
Britain Suspicious Of U, :.
Tsba Taptfizh Ia t%arfteuIap-nr mara