Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-02

~ ARIS.-The majority of Euro
pean opinion heartily welcomed
the signing this week Of the
1 KELLOGG war outlawry pact
There are. however, discordant
notes in each country.
The Italian press has practically OBJ
liberated Count Manzoni's signature
/ from the treaty by insinuatmg COM
ments, Rome does not admit the status
QUO consecrated by the kellogg pact, A
word to the wise. is sufficient.
Moscow is reticent. The Communist
/ papers contend that peace can come
about only when capitalism disappears
and that the treaty is directed against
/ the Soviet republics.
j The German Nationalist, llkseWlse
are unsparing in their sarcasm. war
banisheo for a half hour" and Almost
like HOLLYWOOD" are typical OF the
ironical headlines on German dispatches
from Paris.
The French militarists also consider
that nothing has been settled, and that
the treaty was signed under the sway
of reticence and postponement."
Masses Not Pessimistic.
But the European masses do not share
this pessimism. They consider. rightly
that certain progress had been made
on the long and difficult road to uni
versal peace by making war Illegal and
taking away the charter of divine
rights.
This progress must be consolidated.
for in the near future the treaty
will be put to the test. Discussions at
the League assembly meeting at Geneva
will be dominated by the Kellogg treaty.
Among other important questions, the
general secretary's report viii permit
raising again of the disarmament ques-
ton, and possibly the fixing of the date
for another disarmament conference.
Italy alone opposes discussion of a
general plan for European disarmament.
But now that the Franco British COM
promise is an accomplished fact. Moth
ing prevents the Preparatory Disarma-
ment Commission from completing the
elaboration Of general plan Of action. |
Expect Cut in Taxes.
Taxpayers everywhere expect from /
the Kellogg pact a reduction of budget /
airy estimates devoted TO the Army and /
Navy. The day when the military ex- /
penses of the signatory powers are re-
duced viii mark fresh progress toward /
peace.
Among other questions likely to come !
interest the United States. is tnterpreta- /
ton of the Monroe Doctrine. 1t viii be |
remembered that Costa RIGA. answering /
the leagues request to resume its place |
IN the League, asked the council to /
give final definition of the Monroe |
Doctrine and of the obligations of |
League members concerning 1t.
The Argentine delegate, representing |
his government. considers the Monroe |
Doctrine a unilateral declaration and /
not an international engagement.
VIII Costa Rica's readmission force i
the council to specify article 81 of the /
Wilson covenant IN the absence Of the |
United States?
VIII the Franco-German converse |
ttons begun between Foreign Minister
Stresemann and Premier Poincare be |
continued at Geneva between Foreign
Minister BRAND and Chancellor Mueller?
Problem Of Reparations.
The standard reparations year has
Just begun. Germany must pay $780,
900 900 marks more this year than last,
which seems extremely difficult on ac-
count of her foreign borrowing compli-
cations. Credit Is very scarce in Ger
many and interest rates are very high
II Germany is TO pay two and half
billion marks, her creditors must lend
her money which French financiers al
ready have begun doing, at least by
short-term investments.
But this last problem will hardly be
solved at Geneva. and as Paris declares
1t is linked with evacuation Of the
Rh!neland 1t win be necessary to wait
until the beginning of next year before
reopening discussion.
It's solution threatens To prove the
main stumbling block Of the Kellogg
plan In Europe