Evening star., 1932-10-09

THROUGHOUT European politics
there Is an uneasy conflict be-
tween patience and despair.
i Pacts are signed for the renun-
citation of war, and preparations
for war continue unabated. Prime
ministers and foreign secretaries vie
with one another in extolling the cause
of international disarmament: but,
after six months of haggling, the Dis
armament Conference got no further
than to lay down the first vague prin-
ciples of disarmament. The whole
Covenant of the League has been
fouted by the cynical military escapade
Of Japan in the Far East. In Germany
treaty frontiers increases. Unemploy-
ment and all the other miseries of the
economic depression help demagogues
to persuade the tortured peoples that
nothing but war or revolution can allay
their sufferings and that the League of
Nations is mere dope which their
enemies have invented to hinder the
achievement of justice and prosperity.
Mere Madness.
And yet this is mere madness What
are we suffering from except from
causes which have their origin in the
late war or in its political and eco
nomic aftermath? How could further
wars and disturbances set this right?
Who is the better for the last ward?
Where are the victors? Is it not GER
tain that In a future war the conse-
quences for all would be still more
disastrous? Granted that there is
very much in the world situation that
Is amiss, it IS surely true that only by
international corporation Is there the
smallest chance of a remedy being
found: yet the contrary view is widely
held in some countries. and that Is one
must boldly face.
What is the alternative in the minds
of those who conclude that political in
justice or economic misery cannot be
cured by international cooperation? 1t
Is the old alternative of force. This Is
specially true of young men. Remem-
ber that those who came of age this
year we're only small children when
"the war" ended. The generation that
fought and suffered in that war does
not want another. In most countries
they are the vanguard Of the silent
army of patience. They are prepared
for international conferences to fail and
fail again II only by dogged persever-
ance the danger of war can be killed
But for many thousands of young men
and believe this to be particularly
true Of Germany-peace is dull, gray,
ugly thing. War is exciting, vigorous
and violent: way of swapping trksome
restraints; a release of pent-up discon-
tents.
Point to Far East.
Those who attempt to defend this
point of view will point to the Far East.
to the deadlock of the Disarmament
Conference. or again to the victory OF
Fascism in Italy and the drastic
methods employed by the government
Of the Reich in German politics. as
proof Of their contention that 1t Is
really only force that counts-or (more
cynically) Might creating Right" The
sincerity and discipline Of these bodies
Of young men make their profession OF
the gospel OF force no less misguided
and no less dangerous. II Is indeed q
grave mistake to underestimate the in
tegrity and enthusiasm OF many who
belieye In the gospel Of force. Their
movement according 10 one OF It's
apostles. Prof. Mulhausen, II "at bot
tom an outburst. Lord, tet W free
from enemies without and from slavery
withini" one can sympathise With
such o sentiment, however, dubious the
Information upon which their esmpsisf,
IA based, however, slnlssef the hnansial
naehsFs upen which thslF leaders count,
nns n "A thla Old sxrleded fnilsey thht
feses u ne wAy 10 Asssin roiRieai sne'