Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-30
BACKGROUND OF EVENTS
BY PAUL Y. COLLINS.

IF Europe had had such q table as
that" exclaimed Marshal Foch, stand
ing beside the great mahogany council
table OF the Pan-American Union,
around which all countries of the
Americas sit in conference once a
month-"if Europe had had such a
table as that. there would have been no
World War"
It is indeed an impressive mahogany
table-some twenty feet in length, oval
in shape, highly polished and massive.
Around 1t are stately chairs, each bear
ing in carved letters the name of the
country whose diplomatic representa-
tive occupies 1t in the councils. The
Secretary of State of the United States
always sits at the head, presiding over
the deliberations. When a matter of
American nations it is brought into the
Pan-American Council to be discussed
not only by the parties to the dispute,
but also by the neutral or disinterested
diplomats of other nations not at all
involved. No vote is ever taken COM
hitting the council to usurping the
functions and powers of their home
governments, but only reason and argu-
ment and unbiased suggestions are
sonable when they are not too partisan,
and public sentiment can influence
when expressed in disinterested confer
ence. So many point of potential
friction has been "ironed out" on the
great Pan-American Council table. IF
Europe had had such q table"
Now in France there rises to supreme
power the statesman whose dream has
been to supply all Europe with just
such O conference table-AriStide
BRAND, the Frank B. Kellogg of France.
Monsieur BRAND has frequently served
as premier of France. This is his
twelfth incumbency OF the office to
which high responsibility he is again
called. He has more recently been min
lister OF foreign affairs, and in that ca
pacity he first sounded out the United
States as to the possibility of making a
treaty between America and France for
ever outlawing war as national policy.
Secretary Kellogg gave the proposal ripe
consideration and replied that it was a
capital idea, which should not stop
merely with France and the United
States, but should be given to all the
world OF civilized nations. So from that
Kellogg peace treaty abolishing war as
a reputable national policy.
1T only Europe had had such a table
as that"
Mr.. BRAND had also not only been
dreaming Of peace through interna-
as he visioned it lie many wonderful
opportunities for quiet and prosperity.
Many months ago he announced a
project that astonished the world with
its great daring, especially coming from
a man Of such wide experience. He had
looked across the Atlantic and studied
the prosperity of the United States of
America and had been impressed with
the union of 40 States, each having its
separate and widely differing local in
terests, yet all having a common ma
barriers of prejudice could be mod
Grated. He saw, too, that "if Europe
had such q union as that" some devel-
opments could follow perhaps similar
to what had been achieved in America.
So he astonished the continent OF
feudal prejudices and riyalrieS by pro-
posing United States Of Europe"
Europe could not grasp the idea. It
did not conceive that he was in earnest.
A United States Of the republics Of
Germany, Switzerland, the Balkan
states and of the kingdoms of Italy,
Spain, Belgium and Holiandl It seemed
preposterous. Impraeticable. Of course.
What was at the bottom Of the idea?
"Cherchez Ia femmel" Or at least look
for the African in the wood pile. Min
lister BRAND must be joking; he knows
the absurdity Of the proposal to unite
all Europe.
But there was Marshal Foch's foolish
notion that table" could have stop
ped the war before he did: Both the
table and the BRAND Republic Of
europe rested upon intimate acquaint-
ance through frequent conferences at
closeup.
the League of Nations and originator
of the idea Of United States OF Eu..
rope, is in the pivotal position OF
Europe as premier of France.
\ 4 + \
wiseacres are explaining the BRAND
plan as merely q scheme to get all ma
tions of Europe into q united attack
on the American protective tariff, now
under consideration in our Congress,
but that Ia TO forget that he had made
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