Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-09
RHINELAND EVACUATION
HELD AS FAR OFF AS EVER
Stresemann's Plea for Withdrawal of
French Troops Brings Only Offer
Which Germany Cannot Meet.


be destroyed. A Germany of nearly
100000 would dominate central Eu.
rope and almost automatically acquire
that hegemony which only narrowly es-
capped her during the World War.
In addition to the money price Of
evacuation there is then the political,
and the political consideration is un-
mistakably further assurances on the
German side that the German repub-
lie will accept as immutable the from
tiers fixed at Paris. both as they relate
to Austria and as they concern Poland
and Czechoslovakia. BY the Locarno
treaty Germany agreed not to disturb
them by force. But alongside this
pledge stands the fact that for all Ger
mans the revision of the Polish from
tiers is a fixed purpose, while for the
republican parties. notably the Social
Democrats and the Catholics, union
with Austria is partisan issue. because
such union would enormously swell
the numbers of both groups.
No Danger of Attack.
The French are not now disturbed
over the possibility of any immediate
military attack by Germany. Security
for the moment seems assured. But
they are looking to the future and they
do see in the desire of the Germans
to free their territory from armies of
occupation before the date fixed in the
treaties a valuable thing to trade
against German agreement to respect
the status quo. Were Germany to Of
fer tomorrow to take the same pledge
with respect of the eastern frontiers
that she took for the western at Io-
| carno. France would undoubtedly agree
to evacuate and depend upon her right
to veto all reparations amendments to
get her out of the American and Brit
ish debt difficulties.
But the Germans will not take such
pledge. No German public man
could live If he committed his country
to permanent acceptance of the Polish
| Corridor. The present cabinet, based
upon fusion of the Socialists and
| Centrlsts, could not face its constituents
if it made any new sacrifice which
might constitute an obstacle to union
with Austria. No German believes
either the Corridor or the Anscluss
question can be settled now. But in
both cases it Is national policy to keep
Tor the future hands as free as NAV be.
And there, after all, is the fatal bar
r1er to any real Franco-German en-
tente. What Germany desires is dan
| gerous for France and fatal for the
Polish and Czech friends of France.
Were Germany to acquire the Corridor
and Austria. France would be reduced
| to the position of second class state
| and Poland and CzechoSlovakia would
be the economic and the political vas
sails OF the new Germany. Nor could
| hungary escape q similar situation.
France, Italy and Great Britain. even
II they were joined in a close alliance.
which IS at least doubtful, could hardly
make head against such a combina-
tlon, which might in due course find
basis for alliance with the Russia
which must eventually emerge from
the present chaos.
Germany Would Be Dominant.
In any event. with Russia out of the
situation, paralyZed and impotent. a
Germany which was formed by the
union of the present Reich with Austria
would be far and away the greatest
power on the continent. It might be
wholly dominated by pacific purposes
and utterly lacking in any purpose or
wish to disturb the integrity or security
of France. But, on the other hand. it
might presently revert to the postwar
policies and seek to expand its frontiers
or its influence in Europe, and then It
could hardly be prevented by any new
comEnation of forces which is dis
coverable.
So the French, the Poles. the Czecho-
slovaks and the Italians have dug in"
to defend the status quo in Europe. so
far as Germany is concerned. while the
German nation, without regard to party.
is resolved to obtain revision. Neither
side desires war or is today thinking
ABOUT war. but what must be recognized
Is that the two purposes are irreconcil-
able and so far In European history
war has always resulted from such sit
uatlons. No people has ever vet con-
sented to abandon its pursuit of ma
tional unity because that pursuit dis
turbed world peace
Thus, behind all the brilliant scene
of the Paris assembly lurked the dark
shadow of new dangers. utterly like
the old. Poincare and Stresemann met
and that was something. Stresemann
was cheered in the streets of the French
capital and the German flag was shown
exactly on the tenth anniversary of the
tremendous German victories over the
French armies which marked the OPEN
ing phase of the World War-that
again is something. Finally all hands
Solemnly signed a treaty renouncing
aggressive war, which is third fact.
But no cause Of war was thus af-
fected. no purpose of any nation to &C.
qllire or maintain what seemed inner
ent and imprescriptible rights was aban-
doned. And the pursuit of these rights
was perceived by all to involve new
rlvalrles and fresh collisions of inter-
est. That was what moved BRAND to
say in his address that what remained
to be done was to organize peace, that
the Kellogg treaty was a beautiful
promise. but all depended upon the
translation of words into facts.
Meantime Stresemann went home
empty-handed and gravely disillusioned
and the German press and public equal
~ disclosed their disappointment.
(Copyright. 1887