Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-27
By FRANK II. sIMoNDs.

oA MANN 0A4NAOANDCs
ToR the FIRST time in two years the
- political situation in Europe Is
4 The air has been cleared.
Germany had to make her new
attack upon the treaty OF Versailles;
the German people had to discover
again that, however unjust that great
contract, It still was the law Of Europe
and sustained by an adequate police
force, Britain-that is, Labor and LIB
ersl Britain-had to find out that Ger
many could not be saved against and
In spite of French policy.
And now France is beginning TO
learn, as she did in the Ruhr epistle,
that there are limits to profitable use
of force.
SO, while on the surface the situa-
ton may appear distinctly not hopeful
fer the excursion of tie French prime
lin, there is basis for optimism.
The visit Of French spokesman should
prove one of the most important events
In a year crowded with dramatic and
historic incidents. Upon its outcome
depend many things-the immediate
economic difficulties; the possibility OF
decent amount Of tranquility at the
J Disarmament Conference in Geneva in
February, and, beyond all else, the end
iing Of the present acute Franco-Ger-
man crisis.
Cannot Modify Terms.
r. Certainly there will be clouds over
.khe Berlin meeting. The disaster and
tkhumiliation of the recent AuStro-Ger-
Imam tariff union episode must be In all
Fminds. There is no Disgusting that
Edaval and BRAND go to the German
Hoapital as victors. French aid, almost
initial to German recovery, can only be
syhad at price repugnant to all Ger
fsmodify these terms. Both are the cap
kives Of fixed national purpose.
\ Curtitis' recent demand at Geneva
g$or parity in ornaments for his coun-
TRY again has aroused French suspicion
rAnd resentment.
il France is not prepared in the face
! of contemporary facts to discuss the
kearming Of Germany.
There is, however, a certain basis for
optimism in the very extent Of existing
tpessimtsm. Franco-German relations
have become so bad in the last IL
Amonths that the situation cannot get
worse, nor can it endure. The crisis is
DO acute, so threatening its finar-
tcial and economic side, beyond even
the politicai-that even extremists on
both sides must see the necessity Of
compromise.
Europe as q whole is back to the
situation Of 1923 and the occupation Of
khe Ruhr. State of mind, physical cir
Cumstances, all are reminiscent OF that
dark period. It looked then as If the
kmpossibility Of finding way out Of
The mess insured rapid ruin for the
whole Continent. But there came the
conference of London, the truce Of
Locarno and the dramatic welcoming
OF Germany to Geneva by BRAND.
Statesmansl1ip About Face.
In 1928 every sane man in Europe
saw that the existing situation could
not long continue without universal
disaster. And on the very edge OF the
precipice European craftsmanship sud
denly made an about-face. Instead OF
ruin there were half a dozen years Of
comparative tranquility. relative CO.
operation and widespread recovery in
all countries. France victorious IN the
Ruhr and Germany crushed drew from
the episode similar lesson. Britain,
which, under Lloyd George, had pur-
sued an anti-French policy from the
Paris Peace Conference to the Genoa
meeting, recognized the same truth.
And the next few years, forecast as
destined to see the collapse Of q con-
tinent, instead cav BRAND, Chamber
lain and StreSemann visibly conStitut-
ing grea triumvirate Of peace and
reconstruction.
There is a precedent Of promise then
IN the parallel which now arises from
similar prophecies of ruin, based upon
Identical circumstances.