Evening star., 1933-12-24
Armed Peace in World
at This Christmastide
BY A. G. GARDINER

AS4sOSNs OCICIIlNGE ZO-1 lie mes
sage OF peace and good will" falls
forlornly upon sullen world this
Christmas. Peace there is, but it is an
armed peace that gives no assurance
OF permanence; and as for good will
Dame Europe's school was never in a
more disunited and contentious humor
Two questions occupy the minds of
all serious students Of European affairs
Tpey are both aspects of the same
problem, and the first months of the
new year VIII go far to decide whether
Europe, and with it the world, is to
establish an enduring peace or prepare
for war.
The prospects are not good. No one
can say confidently whether the spark
of life still f1ickers in the Disarmament
Conference, or whether it is only the
fear OF the consequences of Its diSsolu-
ton which gives 1t the appearance of
life. Nothing will be known definitely
until the bureau, or Steering Committee
meets at Geneva in January, but the
parallel conversations" which are going
on give little ground for optimism.
England wants to recant on the un-
fortunate declaration of October, which
gave Hitler a reasonable excuse for
quitting the conference and to reaffirm
the more rapid achievement of equality
which Germany had previously in
dorSed. But France is stiffening under
the evidence Of Germanys rearmament
and it is doubtful whether Germany
would return on any terms which in
cluded the vital condition Of inspection
1t is obvious that no disarmament
agreement would be worth anything
which did not include that condition,
and it is common knowledge that in
Germany had rearmed far beyond the
limits provided for under the Versailles
treaty.
But it Is not only the Disarmament
Conference which is in the balance.
All the friends of the League of Nations
are disquieted about the future of that
institution. and the definite failure of
the Arms Conference would increase the
anxiety. 1t would be another blow at
the Leagues prestige, already badly
shaken by year of rebuffs and disap-
pcintmentS-the withdrawal of Japan,
the withdrawal of Germany and the
threatened withdrawal of Italy
y u
I don't find that the most authorita-
tive spokesmen of the League object to
the idea of reform and some measure
Of reconstruction of the League. They
are prepared, for example, for amend
mentS dealing with the reconsideration
of treaties, the clarification of economic
sanctions and the constitution of the
Council But they are hostile to the
main Italian proposition, which would
convert the League into hierarchy of
the great military powers and leave the
public opinion of Europe, apart from
those powers, entirely outside the pale
OF discussion. This would offend against
the cardinal doctrine of the League,
which aims at equality of representation
and the formulation of policy in the
common interest and on the basis of
abstract justice.
The fact that the three powers which
have withdrawn from the League. or
are dissatisfied with it, are Japan, Ger
many and Italy is significant and
smaller powers is notorious, and a
casual council of great powers would
suit their book very well. Under such
a system, it Is pointed out, Japan could
act in Manchuria without the i'm
pertinent protests of lesser powers with
which 1t is associated in the League.
Italy would have similar freedom in
Corfu, and Germany might have a free
hand in Austria. Moreover, such a sys-
tenn would rest not on a peace basis.
but upon the ostentatious declaration
that warlike power was the only title
to the governance Of world affairs. It
would be formal return to the balance
Of power Of pre-war days, with the
great powers measuring their military
strength against each other and the
smaller powers waiting helplessly for
the inevitable catastrophe that involved
them as pawns in q great game.
X X X
It Is because the League is the only
vehicle by which return to anarchy
can be avoided and Europe can be sub
jected to the rule Of conscience and law
that its supporters believe it will survive
the attempts to disrupt 1t. It sets up
as the London Times says, "a standard
Of political morality ahead Of current
practice; but to surrender that stand
ard now would be to confess that there
Is no future for Europe except anarchy. |
That confession will not be made |
either by way Of the formal dissolution |
Of the League or by the acceptance of |
amendments which would be |
the equivalent Of dissolution. British |
faith in the League principle was never |
lsc-e firm than 1t Is today. and French |