The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1930-06-02
The European Union

The European Union
Pretensions to the hegemony of Europe have through
out its history been the disturbing element on that con-
tinent and the moving factor of its warfares. In the
modern era which the advent Of America in its colonial
days sets off as a section of history woven into the pres
ent-day fabric, the rivalries of England and France first
had to be brought to decision in a long series of conflicts
which eventually gave the British isles primacy and re-
duced France to a second position. The consolidation of
the British Empire grew out of those conflicts, which
stripped France of its American colonial holdings, later
lost it its opportunities in India, which England then ex-
plotted, and again, later, deprived it of the strategic pos
session of the Suez canal.
At a later period than these Anglo-French wars, Eu-
rope witnessed another consolidation of empire within
its borders. when the rival pretensions of Prussia and
Austria to Teutonic hegemony came to the issue of the
sword and Prussia humbled Austria in six weeks, then
fought the same issue over again with France four years
later, the resulting triumph proving to be the enabling
factor in the u%nification Of the German Empire.
Europe had witnessed one other remarkable consolida-
baldi the states of Italy we're welded into a kingdom with
the aid of the craftsmanship of Cavour.
One of these grand moments of history again is knock
ing at the doors of Europe in a proposal for the most
striking unification ever proposed on that continent, and
again the play of hegemony is entering into the calcu-
lations with which the various nations are receiving the
proposal-none other than that Of Aristide BRAND
foreign minister and former premier ever so often OF
France-for the creation of the European Union"
Brands vision, first given utterance at the League of
Nations session of last September without any attempt
to give it detailed form, has again been put forth, this
time in midway in the form of somewhat concrete pro-
posals to Is European chancellories, with an invitation
to send in observations by July Is, evidently at that time
so that M. BRAND can lay definite information as to Eur
opcs attitude on the matter before the September ses-
sion of the League.
Brands proposal would at first contact give the i'm
preston of a peace movement solely, and such it is, but
because of the interplay of world conditions one sees also
that it is the result Of chronological economic pressure,
whereby it would become the vehicle for solving social
and industrial problems weighing heavily on all Europe,
even to be felt In this country. The ordinary impulse
would be to rate it as a piece of benevolent intent alone,
a new means of disarming Europe Of It's feuds, of en-
deavoring to produce happiness where suspicion, hatred
and war had occupied the minds of the nations 50 long
and had entailed so much misery and destruction and
disunity.
The reaction, however, is to the political aspect Of the
proposal. Britain, to Judge by its newspaper comment,
SHES aside at the outset. as a scheme likely to deprive
it Of the splendid isolation which is q fayorite fiction
with Enghshmen. The conservative and nationalistic
organs of Germany see In 1t only the desire to preserve
the French hegemony attained through the Treaty Of
vCAooAACO' ~ VI AIdAy, uOWcVeT, Is WnaC counts
most in the fortunes Of the BRAND proposal-foz the
success or failure of its reception by the 26 nations to
which it has been submitted.
Dictator Mussoini speaks for Italy and he has emitted
q blast little short of an actual declaration Of war on
France. In an amazing verbal belch before 100000
Black Shirts at Florence. the fascist dictator gave ut
terance to indirect hostility for the plan in this bit of
WI r-lordism:
Though words are beautiful things" he blurted,
"mlSketS. machine 0,lrS shins oirr1oroc ond oorro, o.o
much more beautiful things, because right, If unaccom-
panied by might, is a vain word. Fascist Italy, which is
powerfully armed, can now propose its alternative-either
our precious friendship or our dangerous hostility"
This greeting of the plan by the dictator was in his
usual churlish, swashbuckler vein and it places a big
obstacle in the path OF BRAND at the outset, for a Eur.
opean Union should have Italy in it II It is to measure
up to the vision Of the idea. Unless the scheme is to
unite all Of Europe outside of Russia-which for COM
munistic reasons could not now be considered eligible
for inclusion-it is not going to rise to the stature of it's
designation. Moreover, abstention Of Italy would very
likely give rise. by the power of suggestion. to hesitancy
on the part of other countries to entering the union.
Britain already feels that way, due, as the London
Times suggests, to the double position the empire &C.
cupies geographically and historically as part European,
part African, part Asiatic and part American power.
whereby it is necessary first of all to consider the polit-
ical and economic stability of its far flung territories,
rather than to assume responsibilities on behalf of other
nations which such a European union as BRAND has
suggested would entail. The outcome of the naval con-
ference has taught Britain to beware of ENHANCEMENT
with other nations OF Europe. for France and italy really
wrecked the vision with which the naval conference
started. Britain does not feel that it could cooperate
with nationalistic spirit so at variance with the beney-
olent dream Of q world committed to peace. for the at
titude OF France and Italy in the conference was suc!, as
virtually to render a European Union homeopathic
in the field where its mechanism were most to be de-
sired-in eliminating war. For Italy, for instance, Mus
solnis outburst has shown that peace is not among the
detectives that country would make the basis of adhesion
to a union. While 1t might be disposed to join for the
sake OF other interstate considerations pertaining to
european affairs, even these might not be smoothly
eoapteple 70 the imperial program Of which Mussollni