Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-02-26
FRANCE PLACES HOPES
In LEAGUE OF NATIONS
Geneva Viewed as Observatory From
Which Clouds That Threaten Peace
Can Best Be Observed

so. not enough 10 DelleVc III the eIltcIlte
and to be bathed in an atmosphere OF
entente. Something more than that
was neceSsary--all of them would have
to make a sacrifice to their common
entente, and that sacrifice would have
to be made while they still had the
right and even perhaps the duty not
to make it.
| Yes. to make sacrifice and to make
| it in renouncing right is most GER
| tainly the very first condition of peace
And this condition-how many nations
are there who are prepared to submit
to it? We might take up, one after the
| other, all the various controversies which
divide and tear old Europe. we would
see. in dissecting them. that at the
| bottom of each one there is an aSperity
which can disappear only If one Of the
! actors in such a controversy consents to
sacrifice to the other Everywhere. al
ways there must be remuneration on
one side OF the other.
| What is the conflict which for six
years has been causing trouble between
| Poland and Lithuania? 1t resides eX-
! clusively in the question whether the
city of wilma, as the conference OF the
Ambassadors and the League of Ma
tons admitted. will remain definitely
annexed to Poland or whether it will
eventually return to Lithuania. No
settlement, right or wrong, no clever
arbitration whatsoever. will be capable
of solving the conflict. Only one
thing will solve it-that either one or
the other of the two countries re-
nounce definitely the possession Of
wilma.
What is the conflict which in few
years will inevitably cause trouble be-
tween Poland and Germany? 1t lies in
the famous corridor of Danzig. which
has been delimited according to the
laws of history. and maybe also to those
of right, but which is nevertheless con-
trary to the usual geographical rules,
and which cuts Prussia into two sepa-
rate parts.
Problem Kept Silent.
Does one believe that by not speak
ing about the problem which tomorrow
will be the thorniest one in Europe one
will be able to prevent this question
from arising? And when 1t does arise.
does one believe that 1t can be solved
otherwise than by the announcement OF
either one or the other of these coun-
tries?
One is aware that the conflict which
for a few months has been latent be-
tween France and Italy arises from :"
series of claims by Italy-a claim re-
garding the municipal rule Of Tangiers:
a claim relative to the status OF Italian
immigrants in Tunisia: a claim cor
corning the frontier between Tunisia
and Tripolitania, which the 1tahans
would be glad to have rectif1eo IN
favor of their interests.
A French general recently drew at
tention to the fact that in the trial
which is being instituted Italy Is an
applicant everywhere, whereas France
IS plaintiff nowhere. This Is ac-
solutely correct. But nevertheless the
result is that in order to re-estaollSn
harmony and friendship between the
two Latin sisters one OF them Will DC
Obliged to consent to sacrifices some
where. 1t is not by speeches that the
good understanding can be maintained
between them; it is only through con-
cessions-and concessions which France
will have TO make, Notwithstanding
treaties and right.
Finally, there Is yet another question
which eventually must come before tne
league OF Nations-that Is TO say. be-
fore Europe. It is the question OF the
colonial mandates. Certain European
nations which have not had a great IN
crease in their population have large
colonies: certain other nations which
have had tremendous increase IN their
population possess no colonies at all.
To Claim Outlet.
Therefore it is inevitable that nations
whose populations lack breathing space
and are stified between their too mar
row limitations will one day claim their
right 10 an outlet and demand some
far-off territories where they Will be
able to export the surplus OF their IN
habitants. What will the reply TO
them'be when. in the very near future.
they press forward their claim?
And, II strong in the position tney
have acquired. the nations which pos
sess empires or colonial mandates refuse
70 give I'd any part whatsoever OF those
empires nor viii be willing TO renounce
one fragment OF those mandates, does
one believe that mere hymns TO peace
will suffice 10 bring about reign Of
peace?
Thus. everywhere. always. on which,
ever side one turns ones eyes, the ne
cesSity for the one as well as the other
70 resign themselves 10 effecting a moral
or a material concession becomes OBJ
.ious. This Is what is not told enough
70 the nations This III what the gov
erning powers do not speak OF as fire.
quentiy as they should
In the Temple OF Peace there are far
TOO many liturgies. too great an adora-
ton Of congregations. too many reli-
gious orator. there Is a lack OF sufficient
cnthusiasm toward religious self-sacri-
flee. The peace OF the world cannot be
maintained by merely singing hymns;
the only possible way Of maintaining It
VIII BIZ by giving frequent examples OF
sacTifice.