Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-19
BY PAUL SCOTT MowRER.
~ Radio to The Star.


~ Radio to The Star
HARIs.--Continental powers are
- watching the British i: Imperial Al
Il London, with more than usual
interest.
For more than a century Great Brit
ain has more or less successfully occu-
pied the role of stabilizing power in
European affairs. It has sided with
the less aggressive continental group,
flrst, to prevent war, and, second, to
keep the most aggressive side from
winning a war, or has remained neu-
trail, holding the possibility of British
intervention continually over the head
of the victors in order to prevent abuses
Of victory.
The proceedings of the Imperial Con-
ference, together with many other
signs, have combined to, give continent
tai observers the impression that Great
Britain, because of its greatly weak
ened position. is perhaps no longer able
to fulfill. this historic role. In the same
breath the question is raised whether
this role has not now, willy-nilly, de-
volved upon the United States.
EQuued the American Age.
81 Is admitted that the American
heople thus far have shown little inter-
est in world politics or little realization
@f their true place in the modern world,
yet it Is currently said that the Ameri-
can people, in case of new war or
threat of war, would nevertheless be
obliged to accept the responsibilities
placed upon them by their preponderant
power.
Many Europeans are applying to the
present time the term 1.-The American
Age" just as the last century is adj
ulitted to have been the British age in
world affairs.
Meanwhile, with British influence on
The continent weakening and with
American influence insufficiently felt, it
Is widely admitted that Europe is just
now strikingly out of balance. Although
Germany is not yet fixed in the future
foreign policies on which great deal
else seems to hings, the tendency of
EUROPE to divide into two camps, one
9avoring revision of the peace treaties
and the other opposing revision, Is un-
niiStakahie.
The imagined isolation Of the United
States, combined with Great Britains
obvious tendency to withdraw from Eu-
ropean affairs, Is held by many observ-
ers to be the main explanation of the
recent crisis in European politics. The
aloofneSs Of Great Britain and the
tisans Of treaty revision the impression
that France and the countries favoring
stability are isolated and hence has en-
couraged talk and gestures of war and
uncertainty, whose purpose is to scare
the French group into making conces-
gions.
France Strengthens Alliances.
The agitators however. seem to have
overstepped their intentions, for, on the
one hand, France Is Thoroughly aroused
and Is strengthening its alliances and
ornaments. and on the other hand,
Great Britain and the United States,
neither Of which wants 70 see q new
war, have begun to show interest and to
ask for explanations, with the result
that the agitation is already to some
extent subsiding.
There is reason to believe that the
United States, indirectly, has been more
influential In this soothing OF heightened
tempers than has Great Britain, first,
BY its proffered credits Of 9125, O0O, 900 to
the German Republic and second by the
calming effect of American bankers on
Italy. It seems safe to say that in any
case as long as the United States and
Great Britain give the impression that
they do not intend to countenance a
new continental war, no war win occur.
But the trouble is, It is widely said,
that they do not always give this i'm
preston. Indeed, they frequently create
the feeling that they intend to keep
themselves vigorously aloof from "Eu-
Hopean Quarrels."
Great Britain, in particular, is said TO
be rapidly losing prestige. Its chronic
economic and financial difhcultieg, its
alleged fear of the United States and
of the centrifugal tendencies in the
dominions, It's troubles in Egypt, India
and China, its diminished navy and its
general mentality Of gloom and uncer-
tatnty all tend to make the continentals
believe that the mighty British Empire
Is on the decline.
Foreign Policy Seems Obscure.
Probably never before has British for
eign policy seemed more obscure or dis
concerning. One Of the fundamentals OF
this policy continues to be the balance
Of power. Great Britain tends to side