Evening star., 1933-12-09
HENDERSON Terms
WORLD SITUATION
. EXTREMELY GRAVE
Peace Machinery Based on
League Is Now at Stake,
He Declares.
NATIONS ARE BREAKING
THEIR POLITICAL BONDS
Chances of Hating New War
Considered to Be No Better
Than in 1914.
BY PAUL SCOTT MOWRER.

BY Radio to The Star.
PARIS, France. December 9.-Arthur
Henderson, president of the Disarma-
ment Conference, has now announced
publicly that the international situa-
ton is extremely grave" There is
not the slightest doubt he says, that
at the present moment not only the
Disarmament Conference is at stake, but
the entire system of collective world
peace based on the League of Nations" !"
Many people have known all these
things for some time. What is inter-
esting is that a responsible British
statesman now sees fit to say them.
Alarm is general, but it is more alarm
that men feel in the face of the un-
known than fear of some specific fore
seeable danger.
The world is not proceeding as MANY
thought it would and ought to proceed
1t is this which is disturbing, the more
so as none knows how or whittier the
world is going.
Statesmen Talking.
Faced with problems, which in their
hearts they tend for the present to
regard as insuperable, statesmen are
feverishly and in helter-skelter way
consulting one another. Soviet For
eign Commissar Maxim NJ Litvinof
has just been in Washington and
Rome. The French and Germans, and
the French and British, through the
ordinary diplomatic channels. are talk
ing now continually, but. as far as can
be learned, to no real purpose.
Czech Foreign Minister DR.. Eduard
Benes is coming to Paris on December
II, after consulting with Rumanian
Foreign Minister Nicholas TituleScu,
and it is announced French Foreign
Minister Joseph Paul -Boncour may take
a trip, through Poland, Czechosloyakias
Rumania and Yugoslavia IN January.
But all this does not seem to mean
that the nations are getting together.
Rather 1t Is the contrary which Is the
case. The first stage of the depression,
in its international aspects, concerned
finance. The second stage concerned
currencies. The third stage concerned
trade.
Now. following financial paralysis,
currency perturbations and trade paral-
ysis, what is happening is creeping
paralysis of international politics as
well. The nations, having shut them
selves in financially and economically.
are now slowly breaking the political
bonds which we're heretofore supposed
to be the worlds solid guarantees of
protracted peace and solidarity.
Opens Way for Adventures.
If there is trouble anywhere, each
seems determined to keep out OF It..
This naturally opens the way for adop-
ton of adventurous policies on the part
of adventurous-minded peoples or die
tators, If any such exist.
The present plight of the League OF
Nations is characteristic. For IA years
the worlds principal peace effort has
been built around Geneva. The Kellogg
pact was generally regarded merely as
a convenient instrument TO faclntate
the cooperation of the United States
and Russia with the League.
But today, Of the worlds seven great
powers. four-the United States, Russia.
Japan and Germany-with no direct
connection with the League, and an
other. Italy, has Just served notice that
it may withdraw unless the League
Covenant is completely revised.
This leaves two great powers as
serious League members, France and
Great Britain. But of these, one,
Great Britain, is well known to dislike
the Leagues fixed obligations and
values Geneva mainly as an interna-
tional meeting place.
should suddenly threaten somewhere:
there Is scarcely a better chance OF
holding speedy and salutary interna-
tional consultations among all con-
cerned than there was in 1914. States
men realize this and 1t disquiets them.
Italian Premier Benito Mussolini's
remedy is a four-power pact among
Italy, Great Britain. France and Ger
many. 1t is conceivable he sounded
out Litvinoff the other day on the pos
sibility of turning this into five-
probably would make the pact much
more palatable for France.
Wants to Keep League.
- British Prime Minister Ramsay Mac
Donald's remedy Is some sort OF seven
power consultative arrangement, which
would insure the cooperation OF the
United States and Japan. France
wants to keep the league in its present
form, but is realizing more and more
that this may be difficult.
Germany might be amenable to some
sorm of European or world concert, but
for the moment is not committing itself
The same is true, of Russia. AS FOL
, Japan and the United States, both are
thought to prefer to make no new IN
ternational commitments.
In these circumstances 1t Is probable
that no swift and easy method OF re-
storing permanent consultative con.
facts will be found. Some observers
predict a prolonged period Of politica
uncertainty, with the Russo-Japanest
tension persisting, with Germany re-
arming. with France and Great Britain
unable to make up their minds and witt
Italy nlaneuvering
Copyright, 1881 4