Evening star., 1932-01-03
FRANCE TRIES TO ISOLATE
GERMANY IN DEBT CRISIS
Four Projects Afoot to Consolidate
Europe Against Possible Berlin
Effort at Treaty Revision.
Polish-Rumanian-soviet non-aggression

| Polish -Rumanian-Soviet aggression
pact.
French Nationalists are vigorously
opposing M. Laval and Foreign Minister
Aristide BRAND in this policy, not be-
cause they disapprove of the general
/ idea, but because they say that Russia S
words are worthless and that France,
! Poland and Pumania will therefore
merely be duped.
Nevertheless, it looks now as if the
pacts will be adopted Germany natu-
rally is anxious. 1t is well known that
! the German writer Emil Ludwig re-
Gently went to Moscow and saw Dictator
Josef Stain and personally asked him
if he intends now to abandon Germany
and the German effort to break down
the Versailles treaty system.
Stain replied ambiguouSly in an in
terview subsequently published in the
Perliner Tageblatt that Russia wants to
make non aggression pactS with its
neighbors, but that these pacts will not
be directed against Germany, nor must
they be understood as guaranteeing the
Versailles frontiers. All they guarantee,
ne said, is peace and neutrality.
The Tageblatt commenting on this
statement, expresses the fear that the
pact will make Poland henceforth even
less conciliatory toward Germany. At
the same time, Polish newspapers ac
cuSe Germany of trying to block the
pact.
Hungary Is Helpless.
The little entente was originally
formed by CzeChSlovakia, Rumania and
Jugoslavia as guaranty against Hun
gryS desire to regain its lost terri
tories. But Hungary, like Austria, is
1Ntyr1 all EN1a Il
fore, desirous to give the little entente a
new anti-German slant on the theory
that all the danger to the new frontiers
now comes from Germany. This would
enable Poland to join the little entente.
Since last Summer an important or
ganization of committees for peace by
respect for treaties" had been formed in
Poland, Rumania, Jugoslavia, Czecho-
Slovakia and France. The. claim of the
founders is that this means that ia
100000 Europeans are standing solidly
together for the preservation of the
present frontiers.
The weakest link in the little entente
at the present is believed to be Ruma-
MA. King Carol of Rumania and for
mer Premier Count Stephen Bethlen of
Hungary had mysterious meeting in
IranSylyan1a December 7. 1t is said
that King Carol aSpires to unite Hun
gary and Rumania under his crown.
Trade Deal Resumed.
What is perhaps more significant is
the reported renewal of the Rumanian-
German commercial negotiations, which
were suddenly interrupted last Spring in
the midst of the diplomatic battle over
the proposed Austro- German customs
union.
An economic union Of Hungary, Aus
tria and Czechoslovakia was recently
proposed by Count Bethlen himself, but
1t is thought that the idea is really of
French origin. France, indeed, ever
since the World War, has favored
solution of the economic problems of
small States of Central Europe by
means Of sort of Danube confedera-
ton
Opposition has come heretofore par
TALLY from Great Britain, mainly from
Italy and Germany. Now, however, the
influence of Great Britain, Germany
and Italy in this part of the world is
temporarily weaker and that of France
stronger.
(Copyright 1897