Evening star., 1932-12-11
BY FRANK Fl. SIMONDS.

TN European world in which, at
the moment, the causes for op-
timism are scare on both the po-
i litical and economic sides, the con-
clusion of a non-aggression pact
between France and the Soviet Union
and the ratification Of similar agree
ment between Poland and Russia Is a
basis for rejoicing. And 1t Is equally
a promise for progress on the political
and the economic sides.
Today non-aggression pacts have lost
much Of the appeal they had for the
world after Locarno and the Kellogg
pact. These involved a remuneration OF
war as an instrument of policy by its
signatories. The reason for this decline
in popularity has been due to the rec
ognition that, while countries signed
treaties outlawing war and. proclaiming
peaceful purposes, they still continued
to pursue policies which led inevitably
to war and to maintain military and
naval forces on the basis OF expectation
of conflict.
Thus it has been gradually growing
upon the publics of all countries that
peace pacts and disarmament confer
ences were unlikely to have real value
while there was no modification OF ma
tional policies leading straight to con-
flict. But the value of the new agree
ments between the Soviets and their
neighbors and with France, as well, lies
precisely in the fact that political rec
onciliation has accompanied diplomatic
action.
Eager to Avoid Trouble.
It has been clear for at least two
years that the Soviets, plunged in their
tremendous experiment in induStr1allza-
tion, we're eager to avoid any foreign
disturbance 1t was equally clear at
Geneva last Winter during the Arms
Conference that the Bolshvists in at
tendance were gravely and sincerely
disturbed by fear of a new attack by
what they termed the capitalistic pow
ers. For them the japanese adventure
in Manchuria took on the appearance
of the Italian descent upon Tripoh in
1911, and they interpreted 1t as the
opening scene in new period Of world
conflagration.
The Russians saw plot to involve
conspiracy on the part of France to
throw Poland on Russia at the mo-
ment when her domestic problems were
graveSt. They were eager for peace,
anxious to obtain any form OF insur-
ance of their frontiers and, while much
of Litvinov's maneuvering could be set
down to domestic considerations, there
was TO mistaking the basic sincerity of
his advocacy of the most sweeping prof.
ects of disarmament.
Now the agreements with Poland and
with France-and they stand together,
since France and Poland are allies
give Russia good guarantee that she
need have no fear Of any new capital
| istic attack. Similar agreements with
the smaller Baltic states belong in the
picture, and foreshadow period of po-
htical calm and gradual economic ex-
changes in all the region between the
Gulf Of Finland and the Upper
| Dniester.
Rumanian Pact Needed.
To complete the series of agreements
covering the whole of the region be-
tween the Baltic and the Black Sea,
there must be pact between the Soviet
Union and Rumania. That agreement
Is more difficult to arrive at, not be-
cause the Reds and the Rumanians
have any thought of war, but because
there remains the question Of Bessarabia
AS between Russia and Poland. the from
tiers were fixed after the War Of 1920,
and Russia then accepted boundaries
which entailed huge loss Of territory.
On the other hand, Bessarabia was
taken at the treaty OF Brest-Litoysk,
which the Germans imposed in 1918,
and then turned over to Rumania. But
while the majority Of the population In
this province Is clearly Rumanian. the