Evening star., 1933-04-30
GERMANY LOSES BRITISH
AID FOR TREATY REVISION
Treatment of Jewish Minority in Reich
Caused Sudden Shift While Macdonald
Flew to Parley With Mussolini.

In such a state of mind will it be
possible to hold the much discussed
World Economic Conference? At least,
that question is being discussed anxi-
ously and doubtfully in many diplo-
matte quarters both in Washington and
In European capitals. Two years ago
the same state Of mind foredoomed the
Disarmament Conference to failure.
Then the statesmen of the world OUT
side OF Washington opposed the confer
ence because Of the obvious dangers.
But Washington was insistent and no
nation dared to take the responsibility
for open opposition, although both the
British and the French made private
soundings in the matter.
Once the Arms Conference met, the
question of security was raised by Tar
dieu in his 'bombshell speech" and
that was the end of all chance of prog
ress. Now it is almost certain that in
any conference which may meet to dis.
cusS economic matters. the first prob
lem raised will be that of establishing
political platform on which economic
measures can be based.
In the Roman project there was
political program of stabilization
through 10-year truce. But, unhap-
pily, along with that truce went the
implication that frontier changes would
be made in that period. That doomed
the Roman project. But nothing seems
more certain today than that nations
which feel their unity or security in
danger will demand that along with any
plan OF economic recovery must go a
mutuaI guarantee of the existing state
of things for period of years.
But Germany, Italy, Austria, Hungary
and probably Bulgaria will protest
against any agreement which compels
them to endure the conditions imposed
| by the peace treaties for another
decade. during which. quite obviously,
the nations in possession would be able
to consolidate their positions. And GER
tainly, neither the United States nor
Great Britain is ready to give political
guarantees to the nations which today
are in danger.
Have Varying Interests.
In Washington there seems to be an
assumption that all couAtries and gov
ernments are equally concerned in
achieving economic reconsry to the Sc
clusion of all else. But While all gov
ernments do desire to END the present
disastrous depression, soft:e, even dur
| ing this period, are far more concerned
with insuring the continued existence
of their own countries. Thus, while
one set of nations talks tariffs, another
will discuss treaty revision and third
security under existing circumstances.
To imagine, then. that any consider
| able progress can be expected promptly
| by the World Economic Conference is
| to imagine vain thing.
| It is plain that the United States and
Great Britain might accomplish some
| thing by mutual tariff agreements or by
some form of currency bargaining. But
| it is equally obvious that Anglo Amer
ican financial bargains would not be OF
decisive importance unless France came
| in, and in the same way their tariff ad-
| justments would be upset by German
| action. For Germany is great export
| ing nation and France the present de-
fender of the gold standard.
| Up to the present moment the process
of political disintegration in Europe has
been proceeding at an in6edibly rapid
pace ever since the German election OF
September, 1880, which was marked by
the first great Hitler victory. 1t may be
true that the pace has been accentuated,
even If the process was not originally
| produced by economic depression, but
the fact is that Europe has now reached
point where the atmosphere IS totally
unfavorable to any form of interna-
tional agreement or bargain.
Eur0pe's Condition Changing.
What is striking in Washington today
as at all times before other interna-
| tional conferences-iS the double fact
that foreign political conditions seem
totally ignored in official quarters and
American interpretations of the world
situation based upon purely domestic
circumstances are accepted unheSitat-
ingly. But at the same time European
conditions are changing so rapidly and
so alarmingly that the very foundations
| on which American policy seems to rest
are being swept away almost over night.
After all, once it be accepted as a
fact that the political situation in Eu-
| rope Is SO tense and the issues between
peoples so acute that new war can
| come swiftly and with little further
warning, then plans for a world eco
nomic conference which ignore that fact
strike obvious perils. A glance at the
| European press, the smallest discussion
| with continental diplomats in WASH
1ngton, the smallest concern for recent
history-all these must emphasize the
same point.
Every consideration of tariff, currency
and trade must be weighed by states
men and governments which are daily
face to face with the question of peace
or war. And to deal with these states
men on the assumption that because it
Is all quiet along the Potomac" it is
equally tranquil beside the Vistula, the
Danube, the Rhine or the Quarnero, is
to invite surprise and disappointment.
(copyright. Mcclure Newspaper syndicateD