Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-11

h,,t whose character even within those
| limits. already gives alarm 10 powers
possessing a much larger establishment
and resources with which to double IL
! II necessary.
France. which saw itself emerge def
initely as the arbiter of the Continent,
and italy. whose FasciSm shaped new
and intensive nationalism, find them
selves in jealous antagonism, because
they are neighbor states and ooroer
common waters and because both nave
a serious stake in the balance on IN
terest maintained in the Balkan PENN
suIa. There arose from the new situa-
ton this:
II. s. Determined to Keep Rank.
The United States is determined to
maintain ranking position comneh-
surate with lis size. wealth, defense ana
overseas Pacific needs. 1t is willing
however. to reduce the standard OF that
position in proportion as world security.
| through common disarmament makes
that possible.
Britain wants to keep both parity
standard with the United States and
theoretical unity of outlook with the
Uni ed States which destroys consider
alton of any possible war between those
powers and instead constitutes them
moral police power working IN UNISON
on the seven seas
France wants to place herself. not
merely on paper, but, in fact, beyond al
possible affront from any quarter. Sne
measures her needs solely on the
physical facts of her frontiers and her
neighbors po entail resources. she
gives alarm to England by the growth
of her submarine fleet. existing and
projected: she gives affront to Italy be-
cause she stubbornly rejects any parity.
even theoretical, with any other con-
tinental power; and she gives further
uneasiness to Germany because 1t is
intimated that the only basis on which
France will endeavor to meet the view
points of Britain and Italy includes
temporary suspension at least OF Ger
many's building program - meaning
specifically. that work on the third
pocket battleship should be halted.
Frances Submarine Tonnage.
OF these major contributions, Britain's
complaint Of the French submarine
tonnage has been the least acute in
public, but is not the least rooted In
private consultations. The French
Italian dispute over parity is not only
question of tonnage, but reaches lar
| into the hinterland and involves con-
siderations affecting every power on the
Continent except Scandinavia and the
| Netherlands.
Briefly put, two significant factors
stand out from this summary:
Security is a political word 1t has
no spirit of reconciliation in It. ana
neither Versailles, Locarno nor Geneva
has been able on the face OF the stu
alton, to change its form or meaning.
The second grows out OF the nrst
Political considerations take precedence
over economic reasons although the
world ills are economic ones produced
as results of political acts.
The world has learned much. out
leaders have learned little. Those who
have learned lack the power to con-
vince the majority. There Is no single
dominant voice to make articulate the
anxious voice of the peoples.
It is for these reasons. observers say,
that, in spite of Kellogg pacts and in
Vulnerable conferences, disarmament
has lost ground. If measured by the
initial impulse which drove the move
ment forward. II all the motions and
resolutions and plans looking toward
the goal which have been placed before
the League of Nations were piled on
the Leagues council table, there would
be SUFFICIENT material for a bonfire hot
enough TO melt the snow on the encir-
cling Alps.
Therefore. It is freely said, the
prepare ions this time must be fool
proof. II the world fails at this coming
conference, 1t is in a sad and treacher-
Gus plight Definitions must be revised.
words must take on new spirit. and
somewhere. hopefully, must be found
the large man. detached from the envies
OF the Old World, to do more than
indicate a way-he must compel 1t.
The finger seems to point toward the
New World
Copyright, 1881. by the North American
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