Evening star., 1933-11-26


the response OF a new French
4 prime minister to the German
events having-for the time be-
ing at least-died down, attention is
beginning to be directed at the sharp
difficulties of the British cabinet, caught
between the evident dangers of the
European situation and the not less un-
mistakabIe public demand that Britain
keep out of the next war. Obviously
Britain can only keep out Of that war
if 1t can prevent it. Therefore London
is for the moment, the center of the
European problem.
Since in the United States the pro-
poSal has been raised that American
policy in the future be based upon an
assumption of British neutrality in
European conflict and the further as
would otherwise be impossible, unusual
interest will follow the course Of the
English statesmen in the next few
months which may be decisive SO far
as the continental problem is concerned.
At the outset however, it must be rec
ogniZed that British neutrality is pos
sible only under certain circumstances.
1t is totally out of the question If Ger
many attacks France or even seeks to
disturb the demilitariZed status of the
stances Britain is bound by the Locarno
agreement to stand with France and
Belgium. as is Italy as well. But British
neutrality would be also impossible for
any extended time If in a Franco
German war Germany won the opening
phase. because that would bring Ger
man armies to Belgium again and raise
the old issue of British security.
At the present moment, therefore,
British craftsmanship must concentrate
all its attention upon seeking to find
some temporary accommodation OF the
dispute over disarmament which led to
the German withdrawal from the Dis
armament Conference and the League.
But here the difficulties are clear and
immediate. for London has to persuade
either Berlin or Paris to make conceS-
sions which neither is in a mood to
consider. The Germans have. for all
practical purposes. issued an ultimatum.
They will not under any circumstances
go to Geneva again and will only dis
cuss armaments if promised equality
in advance.
French Suspect British.
The French have announced that they
will make no agreements except through
the League, and will not assent to any
compromise that weakens their present
military predominance. London has
then TO persuade Paris or Berlin, but
if it brings pressure upon the former
the results may be disastrous, for the
French are in nervous state of mind
and suspect the British of willingness
to sacrifice their security to the con-
siderationS of British domestic policy.
On the other hand, Hitler can, if he
/ chooses, sit tight and wait developments.
| So far as one can judge. the four
/ power experiment of MuSsolini is def
>nitely off,. French veto. has killed that.
| The five-powef project, with the United
| States included In new London Con-
ference, is hardly likely to intrigue the
French even if Washington were ready
/ for the adventure. The League is out
of the picture for all present time be-
cause the United States, Germany.
/ Japan and Soviet Russia-four of the
/ seven great world powers-are not mem
bers and Italy has. through the Duce
| just proclaimed it an abSurdity.
But for the fact of Henderson's pres
! ence in Geneva and the relation of that
fact to British domestic politics there
might be a welcome pause in all inter-
national confabulations until after the
holidays. But Henderson is the leader
: of the Labor party. has lately been
elected to Parliament again and has
been cheered by the fact that Labor
/ recently won a sensational victory in
the municipal elections on the peace
issue
Henderson. as president of the Arms
Conference. therefore. has Ramsay Mac
Donald and the national government Of
Britain on toasting fork. He can de-
mand that the British government come
back 10 Geneva and Join In the effort TO
/ push through some arms agreement.
/ even with Germany absent If the
/ British decline he can resign. as his
( Labor friends are urging him to do, and
come home to lead fight upon the ma
tional government in Parliament and
in the country as responsible for failure
at Geneva
AS for the national government, it is
split right down the middle. Mac
Donald and his small but active fol-
lowing are all for doing business with
Germany even at the expense Cf France.
Baldwin and his larger following are
for keeping close to France and pre-
/ serving the spirit of Locarno; Still
Gtsr nG fa9ti0n he9ded cad by he 1be
powerful press, are all for Scrapping
Locarno and getting out of Europe al
together without further concern for
either the French or the Germans.
! Labor Fights Macdonald.
Meantime Labor is coming back fast
and strong. 1t is resolved to destroy
Macdonald, whom it regards as a party
traitor, and it finds handy issue in
the anti-War sentiment in Britain. 1t
is, however. little handicapped by the
! fact that the excesses of the Nazis have
stirred British public sentiment against
Hitler and made it difficult to go too
far in urging French concessions.
| The French, on the other hand, re-
main where they have always been.
They want the British to underwrite
any concession to Germany by new
| guarantees. But the mere suggestion
of fresh continental guarantee makes
every British public man turn white and
every British citizen see red. Simon
and the Tories know perfectly well
that France is not to be moved save
by promises. Labor. being irresponsible.
can denounce the Tories for not doing
something and destroy them if they
! undertake to do the only thing pos
/ sible-that is, buy French concessions
at the fixed price.
! MusSolini, on the other hand. has
! perfectly free rein. He can do what he
| chooses so long as he can agree with
/ himself about what to do. But while
he can from time to time modify Ger
man violence, he cannot at any time
exert real influence upon the French
| Il