Evening star., 1932-04-10
Mellon Reaches London as
Devils" CauldrOn Boils
BY A. G. GARDINER.

LONDON, April 9.-AmbasSador An
drew w. Mellon arrived in London Fri
day TO take up his new task at the
Court OF St. James at a moment when
the devils cauldron of European poll
tics seems on the point of boiling over
No anxiety is felt in regard to the
result of the second ballot in the presi-
Dental election in Germany on Sun
day, President Won Hindenburg's re-
election being taken for granted, but
the breakdown of the Danubian con-
ference IN London on Thursday is a
most omious fact.
No one doubts the gravity or urgency
Of the position of the Danubian states,
which are faced with immediate bank
ruptcy, the consequences of which on
the rest of Europe are incalculable
The necessity Of instant measures to
save the situation was universally rec
ognized but the issue raised in the
most acute form the crucial question OF
| German or French influence in Gen.
trail Europe.
The difficulties in reaching a solu-
| ton were aggravated by the imminence
of the French and Prussian elections.
| The result of the latter is regarded as
doubtful, and it was feared that the
appearance of a victory for French
diplomacy in Central Europe would
| turn the balance in favor Of the Nazis.
! On the other hand. Premier Andre
/ Tardieu, threatened with an electoral
swing to the Left, naturally was anxious
| to turn the Danubian situation to poll
tical advantage and give the impress
sion that the cooperation Of France
end England implied something like
| revival of the Anglo-French entente.
This idea, enthusiastically exploited
by the Paris press, added to the dis
quiet of Germany, which was increased
by Tardieu'S preliminary visit to Pre-
mier Ramsay Macdonald of England
on Monday. giving the impression Of
a cut and dried Anglo-French scheme.
This impression was unfounded. There
is no disposition on the part OF the
British government to revive the Anglo
French entente, and Macdonald, while
anxious to secure adoption of Danu-
bian scheme, is firmly opposed to that
scheme having an anti-German bias.
Unfortunately Tardieu, in insisting on
the exclusion of Germany, Italy and
especially Bulgaria, from its benefits,
doomed the scheme to failure.
Once more the purely economic prob
lem, affecting the financial fate of
Europe, is bedeviled by the political
calculations of Germany and Italy in
rejecting the Tardieu scheme and by
Tardieu's refusing the German and
Italian alternatives. While delay is
uerilous, opinion here is not wholly dis
satisfied with the result, in view of the
effect on the elections.
Tardieu'S attempt to check the swing
to the Left in France in a dramatic VIC
tory over Germany in foreign diplom-
acy has failed, and it Is confidently
hoped that the French nationalist pol
icy. which has been the chief stumbling
block in European reconstruction since
the armistice. will be repudiated in the
NAV elections. 1t is believed that the
pressure of events in France will COM
pei the new French government to re-
nounce its dog-in-the-ma attitude,
| adopted k.th2rto, and make drastic
! concessions for the rehabilitation OF
Europe.
The effect of the rejection is expected
TO have a favorable influence in Ger
many in strengthening the position of
! Chancellor Heinrich Bruening against
! Adolf Hitler, the Nazi leader, in the
presidential and PrIisSian elections.
Meanwhile the fate of the Danubian
States is held in suspense until Paris,
Berlin and Rome can see eye to eye on
| the plain issue and agree on poncy,
not dictated by the interests Of this
group or that, but by the common ne
cessities of Europe as whole.
y
The political uncertainties that shat
tered the Danubian conference hang
| like c wet blanket over the Dtsarma-
ment Conference, which rea1scmbieS for
a critical session on Monday. 1t is un-
fortunate that this vital issue reaches
a crisis in the midst of the electoral
atmosphere From the highest cources
this correspondent has gathered that
the prospects of substantial results on
disarmament are unfavorable. The
German demand for equality will be
met by the familiar French demand for
security, which is translatable into no
terms consistent with the effective full
fillment of the disarmament undertake
ing in the treaty of Versailles
Present indications suggest that the
plans for cuts in ornaments offered viii
- Nwk y = fHak