Evening star., 1933-11-12
BY PERTINAX.

UlShI4IlcQ pUNeTS J, UuL IdQ uldQe up lJS
mind this time to strike blow not only
at the offshoot of the League of Ma
tions, the Disarmament Conference, but
at the Geneva institution itself. That
Is, Germany determined to strike at the
main root of the whole tree, in the be-
lief that the method of self-assertion is
more likely than continuous bargaining
in Geneva to enable Germany not only
to secure the practical enforcement of
equal military rights"-to recuperate
her former military strength-but, in
addition, to bring about the revision of
the territorial clauses in the peace
treaties.
Thus the system of international CO.
operation which has gradually been
pieced together in the course of the last
13 years threatens to crumble down. Is
it merely an accident? Does the whim
of dictator bear the responsibility for
what has happened, to the exclusion of
more potent and more permanent
causes-and. therefore, is it within the
power of diplomacy to suppress the mis-
chief? Or is the decision of Hitler to
be regarded as merely an element, not
perhaps Of first importance, in an i'm
placaole process of decay? Any one in
close touch with European developments
can hardly avoid having to answer the
latter question in the affirmative. To
is enough to have watched the move
n1entS Of the delegations In Geneva and
the trend of their ideas.
The Assembly Of the League of Ma
tions closed its doors on October IL after
a verv slack session which did not ex-
ceed 10 days. Doutine work of a Sec
ondary character filled nearly the whole
picture. The general debate upon the
report submitted by the Leagues Sec
retary general about the work per-
formed in Geneva during the preceding
IL months dragged on amid the in
difference Of both the public and the
delegations. 1t proved difficult, on GER
tain days, to find people willing to hold
the rostrum. All the great problems
of the world. which in former assem-
blies used to be discussed ad nauseam
the economic crisis, the strengthen
ing Of the Leagues Covenant. the reyi-
sion OF the territorial clauses in the
peace treaties, etc.-all these were left
entirely aside.
Challenge to Europe.
In the course of the previous three
months the issue of disarmament had
been practically taken away from the
sixty-odd delegations which have been
present in Geneva, more or less con-
tinuously. since February 2, 1882, and it
had been dealt with in the private club
OF the five great powers; therefore it
was predicted that the secondary States
would make use Of the Assembly so as
to proclaim their own views on the sub
ject which they had been compelled to
keep to themselves for so long. How
ever, nobody dared raise or even men,
ton the question.
Nor is that all For eight months
the Hitlerite regime in Germany had
been a violent challenge to most OF the
ideas upon which modern European
civilization reSts-to the ideas which
were laid down by President Wilson as
the unshakable foundations of the
Geneva institution, the rights of men,
democratic governments, international
cooperation, etc. It cannot be doubted
that as a consequence a deep-seated
indignation was running through an
important part of European public
opinion, that several governments
wished to register their protest and, if
possible, to make 1t effective. But those
good intentions came to nothing, or
to very little, because to endeavor to
carry them out with some degree of
seriousness would have meant ejecting
the German Reich from the League.
A resolution was debated with view
to reminding the governments that are
not legally bound by special treaties
that they are expected to give fair
treatment to the racial, religious and
linguistic minorities within their bor-
ders, but, for the sake of conciliating
the German delegation, vital para
Wy Int twnVx ckz frxl
that the Jews are net outcasts, that
they ought not to be set as a class
apart and must enjoy the same degree
of justice and tolerance as the other
had to be suppressed.
Brutal End Of Dream.
Really, the Wilsonian dream of a
mankind could not end
more brutally. BY now nobody en-
dowed with any self-respect can come
forward and give fresh expression to
the belief of the late President of the
United States that in 1918 the victory
Of the allied and associated powers
struck staggering blow at the dark
forces of the past and that a new
world, cleansed from the cruel pas
sions recorded in history, had emerged
from the trial by steel and fire.
In 1918 there was no real break. in
the heart of men, with the antecedent
period. What was attempted in Geneva
only corresponded to the ephemeral
predominance of England and France
on the European continent. to the in
born pracifism of their citizens and to
the feeling they perhaps entertained.
or unconsciously, that it
was consonant with their material in
terest to idealize the territorial and po-
litical state of affairs that had issued
from their warlike labor. But, after
Is years, their might has been i'm
paired and, simultaneously, the League
Of Nations, acceptance of which they
forced upon the world, shrinks into
futility.
In order to check the feeling of
despair that pervaded most Of the pub
lie men gathered in Geneva. the fol-
rency: European peace viii be saved
by the four-power pact which was
signed in Rome last June on the
initiative of Signor Mussolini. THAT
treaty means 10 years of international
under the leadership of
the four powers" the Duce of the
Italian Fascists is reported to have said
In substance more than once.
"Straws OF Words"
Personally, am not convinced: Once
again we are offered the straw of
words and exhorted to take it as the
grain of realities. The four-power pact
does not bind its signatories to any
thing more than to a promise to con-
suit together and honestly to endeavor
TO deal collectively with the great prob
lens Of the day. In brief. 1t Is a con-
sultative pact. from the mere fact of
It's existence it cannot be inferred that
solutions are sure to be
evolved.
After all, q consultive pact achieves
nothing beyond making an obligation
Of what always happens in practice,
even between governments which are
1t drawn daggers; they unavoidably
exchange views before exchanging shots.
Was not the last week in July. 1914.
'pent In continuous pourparlers by the