Evening star., 1930-11-30
BRITISH PARLEY FAILURE
MAY AID EUROPE'S AFFAIRS
Present Discords Laying Bases for Even
tual War May Be Turned Into
Forces for Harmony.

alike Of the rise of the United States
and the economic disasters OF British
| postwar history, British importance In
Europe Is potentially as great as ever.
| II Britain has recognized the right OF
| the United States to naval parity. she
still remains mistress Of European
waters, both in the North Sea and the
Mediterranean.
During the last Tory government,
when Chamberlain, as Secretary Of
| state for foreign affairs, was the part
ner Of BRAND and Stresemann In in
ternational activity, European peace
was assured and progress was constant.
When Labor came to power and StreSe-
mann died all was changed. And aS o
reGllt Britain has been condemned to
sit helplessly by while the situation
worsened steadily.
Able Foreign Minister Needed.
| Today in the chaotic situation that
exists 1t is impossible for France, Ger
many or Italy to lead in Europe, because
| all three countries are divided by inn
! paSsable barriers. On the other hand,
all three countries are in an identical
relation of friendlineSs with Britain. II
the British had a really able foreign
minister, instead of the well meaning
but rather grotesque Uncle Arthur"
who recalls the late william Jennings
Bryan In his international role: II It
had a premier who was a statesman
instead Of an evangelist, British anfiu-
ence and prestige in Europe would al
most automatically regain all the lost
ground.
The British dominions are resolved,
like the United States, never to assume
any responsibility for the defense Of
| peace in Europe. Britain, as long as
she Is dominated by the commonwealth
conception, Is condemned to sacrifice
her European policy to her imperial
conception. But peace in Europe be-
comes steadily more precariouS because
1t lacks any assurance of disinterested
support, such as Britain could give and
such as the European powers would ac-
cept from no other nation, since the
United States is out Of the picture.
War In Ten Years Unlikely.
The danger Of war in Europe today
| and 1t Is real danger-doeS not grow
out of the fact that any considerable
nation wants it or any people Is plotting
1t. It results from the fact that all
nations are getting into positions and
all peoples into states Of mind which
are In the long run incompatible with
any system Of orderly peace. Ths air
is becoming filled with the clamor OF
rival nationalisms. People are becom-
ing angry and, what Is ever moro dan
gerous, becoming scared
And this period of disintegration In
Europe patiently comedies with the ad-
vent of Labor and its attempt to sub
stitute for the Tory policy Of participe-
ton In Europe q double policy Of friend
ship with the United States and closer
association with the dominions. Ger
| tainly friendship with the United States
was desirable, both for British and
American reasons, and no government
has more sincerely sought It than La.
| Dor, but obviously such friendship Is
not q substitute for European activity.
Moreover, when one speaks OF the
danger Of q new war in Europe It 10
necessary to qualify such statement
| Immediately. Nothing Is less likely to-
day than any conflict. For five, and
probably ten, years, ct the very least,
economic considerations would seem to
preclude new catastrophe, even II. one
or more countries were willing to 60 to
war, as none Is.
Bases for War Being Laid.
What is disturbing Is that the process
Of consolidating peace, Of finding dur
able bases for international co-operae
ton, has, particularly in the past two
years, been interrupted, and instead
foundations are being laid for eventual
struggles. It would be idiotic to say
things had already progressed to the
point where the situation Is hopeless.
On the contrary, what is hopeful is the
fact that there Is a rapidly growing
appreciation Of the dangers disclosed
In the existing situation.
Nevertheless, it is plain that the sit
uation is critical in the sense that the
present drift must be arrested, and be-
comes increasingly hard to arrest as
time passes and national theses become
stabilized. And, as I have said, the
friends of peace in all European coun-
tries believe that the necessary word
must be spoken by Britain. Thus they
welcome the failure Of the Imperial
Conference as promise OF renewed
British interest in European affairs.
(Copyright, Io30)