Evening star., 1933-03-16
The European Powder Barrel.

The European Powder Barrel.
Prime Minister Macdonald and Sir
John Simon, British foreign secretary,
will meet Premier Mussolini In Rome
during the approaching week end to dis
cuss the possibility Of salvaging The
crumbling Disarmament Conference at
Geneva and exploring the European
situation in general. The Anglo Italian
conversations will follow close on the
heels Of those which the same British
statesmen have just held at Paris with
Premier Daladier and Foreign Minister
Paul -Boncour.
There are unoficial suggestions that
before the Downing street tourists end
their continental peregrinations they
will establish contact with Chancellor
Hitler. thus bringing Fascist Germany
into the circle Of talk which has for its
obvious purpose ways and means for
keeping the European powder barrel
from exploding. Not for years has that
ever present source Of danger to the
peace Of the world seemed nearer than
now to bursting its fragile bonds and
causing the nations once again to fly
at one another's throats.
The readiness of Premier Mussolini
to sit in at q meeting designed to re-
store European equilibrium Is perhaps
the most significant aspect Of current
events. u Duce has not participated
in an international conference since
1925. Despite occasional saber-rattling
for domestic consumption, the italian
Fascist chieftain Is q consistent advo-
cate Of substantial disarmament as the
best guarantee Of peace. He has voiced
his views on that score in near-Roose-
veltian terms, for Mussolini wants
quick and effective" disarmament, to
be brought about with q minimum Of
delay-"action now" as the American
President would put it. If comprehen-
sive reduction Of armaments Is not pos
sible at once the Mussolini program
would provide for at least . prolonged
truce in the piling up Of additional
armaments-a standstiu agreement.
An inherent difficulty In the European
muddle, which has led up to the exist
ing state Of perilous strain, is the in
veterate habit which causes each coun-
try to blame things on the other fellow.
Europe's favorite postwar pastine has
been for the pot to call the kettle black
Germany holds an enduring grudge
against the treaty Of Versailles powers
for condemning her to economic and
military bondage condition, 1t Is
worth noting In passing. which had
much, II not most, to do with Adolf
Hitler's rise to power. France charges
the Germans, conversely, with keeping
Europe on tenterhooks by openly threat
ening to disrupt the Versailles treaty
by force, preceded by the rearmament
Of the Reich in violation of treaty pro-
visions. The Germans accuse Poland Of
seeking the conquest Of East Prussia.
The Poles lie awake nights in fear Of .
German attack to blot out the Danzig
Corridor.
Italy II convinced that France and
her Little Entente allies are plotting
war against the Fascist land. The
French retort by attributing to the Ital-
ians . plot to seize territory In North
Africa at the expense Of the French CO.
lonial domain in that region. Italy has
q further grievance against Yugoslavia
and Rumania, which are suspected, un-
der French encouragement, Of warlike
designs upon the realm which Mussolini
rules. New and hostile groupings Of
powers are under way for the accom-
plishment or Illustration Of some or all
Of these purposes, alleged and real.
The Franco-Belgian-Polish- Csechoslo-
vakian- Rumanian- -Yugoslavian combi-
nation Is faced by an embryonic Italo-
German -Austro Hungarian Albanian
Bulgarian combination.
It is a maddening and a menacing
set Of conditions. They bristle from
top to bottom with possibilities which
almost stagger the imagination. Great
Britain Is well cast for the role Of
honest broker in the field Of concilia-
ton and negotiation which 1t Is neces-
sary to till If European rivalries, sus-
picions and animosities are not to be
allowed steadily and remorselessly to
drift into war. Beyond . doubt 1t Is
such considerations which actuate the
British prime minister's current efforts.
Mr.. Macdonald seems to think that
an Immediately modifying development
would be to save the Geneva Confer
ence Just as It seems headed for the
rocks. This would also, the British be-
neve, permit the impending world eco
nomic conference to open amid q less
gloomy, If not more promising, atmos-
phere. However slender such reed
may be, it Is worth leaning on II 1t
can thwart the readiness, apparently
of more than one element In Europe,
to plunge into the madness Of war
From this standpoint, it will crafty
the American people to learn that
President Roosevelt and Secretary Hull
are in consultation with Norman H
Davis, Uncle Sans rowing Ambassador
to Europe and Geneva Conference
emissary, with q view to determining
il the influence of the United States
can at the eleventh hour be thrown
usefully into the scales, in order to
keep Geneva alive, prevent war and
preserve peace.
o. The time Is evidently near when the
| word holiday" in financial circles will
be associated with base ball or golf, a
usual.