Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-15
United States of Europe?

man cars and take their chances on
recouping in other European states?
Would the proprietors of the Skoda
Works welcome free competition from
Krupp's? And would there be found
politicians with SUFFICIENT daring to
forego the revenues derived from the
tariffs and TO realize the resulting def
cts from the direct taxation of their
own people?
Politicians Are a Factor.
Finally, would international cartels-
for instance, such as a Franco German
steel mbination-reliSh having their
carefully worked-out arrangements and
balances upset? And would those peo-
pie, American and otherwise, who have
investments in protected industries in
various European countries care to see
the experiment of European free trade
tried?
III these existing ARRANGEMENTS. be-
ing humanity made are, of course, sub
Ject to reversal, particularly If such re-
VersaI seems to bring a reasonable as
SCrance OF financial returns. But be-
hlno them stands something more diff
cult to overcome-the politicians. Half
OF europe today Is ruled by dictators
II 1t be accepted that European free
trade would allow commerce and in
dustry to flow into the most natural
and most productive channels, the re-
sultant change would sweep these die
tators away.
Is it to be supposed that Mussolini
or DE Rivera or Duca or ValdemaraS
would loosen their economic grip on
their respective countries and depend
for their political standing on the
gratitude OF their respective peoples?
English Oppose the Idea.
Still behind this stands national SEN
timent. Although there is no indica-
ton that BRAND is unwilling to include
Britain In the European economic fed
Grafton, both British Laborites and
Conservatives oppose the idea-the for
mer because, in the words of their
official organ, the Daily Herald, on
July 10:
Our foreign policy is based on in
ternationaliSm, the boundaries of which
are not in Europe nor yet in the British
Empire" The latter because for a
thousand years Britain has proSpered
pretty we'll viS-a-vis a disunited Europe.
The German press in July largely con-
demned Brands idea. suspecting it to
be a maneuver to strengthen French
hegemony on the continent-and also
because Germany wants to be friendly
"ASAA VAC OAAVSA 6t0OCS VA kAAlCAAIu' 4IC
Italian press. likewise. showed itself
skeptical of Brands diSinterestedneSs
Even the French newspapers have not
become enthusiastic.
OF course, as the quotation above
pointed out, the advent of a European
federation can be he tened or retarded
by external events. 1t may be doubted,
however, whether the new American
tariff, whatever form It finally takes,
will produce at most more than indi-
vidual retaliation-and this at the mo-
ment is the strongest argument the
federationists have.
Clear Meaning to Reception.
While, therefore. it may be possible
to accept as a serious possibility the
formation Of even a Pan-European Gus
toms union, Brands idea and its re-
ception may perhaps be taken as a
definite indication that in Europe the
forces of cohesion are approaching in
strength those Of disintegration; that
the pendulum has about reached the
limit of its swing toward excessive and
unreasoning nationalism and that the
second postwar decade is opening with
the idea that liberalism at least should
be given a fair show, not condemned
unheard.
Copyright. 1929
u, s, BELIEVES TIME NOT RIPE.