Evening star., 1934-12-16
BY FRANK Fl. SIMONDS.

of the Saar discussions has
T served as the occasion on this
~ side Of the Atlantic for the
expression Of the hope, and
even Of the belief, that the Franco
German agreement in this respect
might be carried to greater lengths.
If the Saar could be settled, why is it
not possible to dispose of the other
disputes between the two countries?
This question has been asked fire.
quently, and as frequently answered
by an optimistic affirmative.
The difficulty, however, lies in the
fact that while there was no real
difference of principle between the
French and Germans in the matter
of the Saar, there is as yet no basis
of accord between them in such mat
ters as ornaments and treaty revision.
Had the French cherished any design
upon the Saar, then the recent ac-
cord could not have been made But
from the moment he took Office as
Foreign Minister M. Laval has been
asserting that the Saar was not a
Franco German question, but an in
ternational issue.
In other words, the French minister
affirmed that the sole interest the
French had in the matter was to see
that the treaty was fulfilled, first by
q fair. election and second by a proper
financial settlement Of the mines.
Thus, If Germany were prepared to
refrain from any attempt to steal the
election by violence and also ready to
pay France for the mines which were
French property, German victory at
the polls would be accepted by France
without protest.
German Content With Pact.
Once the Germans were satisfied
that Laval meant what he said. They,
In turn, became convinced that they
would win the election, and that vio-
lence was unnecessary AS to the
payment for the mines, there was a
resource in the shape of the money
which had been issued in the Saar.
At Rome the price of $4,000, 900,
supplemented by 100000 tons of
coal, was agreed upon, and in Geneva,
little later, it was further agreed
that the policing of the election should
be left to troops other than German
and French, and to this force Britain
and Italy stood ready to contribute.
The removal of the Saar from the
list of possible causes of Franco
German disputes eliminates the last
territorial issue between the two coun-
tries. Hitler has again and again
repeated the assurances Of StreSemann
which constituted a pledge that Ger
many would never attempt to recon-
quer Alsace- e-Lorraine. The statement
of Stanley Baldwin in Parliament
last Summer, that the Rhine has
become the frontier of Britain, also
constitutes a clear renewal of Eng
lands Locarno pledge to defend the
status quo in the west. Thus with
Saar settled, the status quo in the
Rhine area satisfies both the French
and the Germans and is guaranteed
by the British.
In the east the 10-year non-ag-
gression pact which the Germans and
Poles have made has removed the
question Of the Polish Corridor from
present actuality. And by doing this
it has stripped the Franco-Polish
VI 1IS W lllC
Germany has made her own terms
with Poland and Poland has ceased
tolook to Paris in shaping her policy.
Nominally the alliance survives, but
IN reality it has lapsed and with
Its disappearance another source of
Fanco-German differences has been
eliminated.
Two Points at Issue.
There remain, however, two points
Of friction-armaments and Austria.
sorts of restrictions upon Germany's
military, naval and air forces. At
the Disarmament Conference France
refused to consent to the removal
of these restrictions until there had
been some far-reaching agreement
which would assure the League the
necessary force to coerce Germany,
If she sought to use her new military
resources to bring about revision
OF the territorial status quo. No such
agreement proving possible, France
refused permission and Germany quit
the League.
To-day Germany is arming rapidly
and extensively. This course is illegal,
but the French have no intention
OF resorting to force to prevent it.
On the other hand, they remain un-
ready to sanction it until the uues-
ton Of security for all European
states is settled. And, of course, the
heart Of this issue is the matter of
the independence Of Austria and of
Czechoslovakia. On the latter phase
Of the issue, too, Italy and France
stand solidly together. Thus, at the
time OF the July putsch in Vienna,
Italy mobilized and prepared to move
troops into the Tyrol.
While at that moment Italy, France
and Great Britain united in note OF
warning to Berlin, they do not agree
on the armament question. Italy has
always viewed this detail realistically
recognizing that Germany would re-
arm and that without resorting to war
no one could prevent her. The British
policy has been one of expediency-
they would permit Germany to re-
arm gradually, striving to preserve the
restrictions on air ornaments as long
as possible and showing less concern
for artillery and effectives. France
however, has continued to say no un-
compromisingly. And Germany has
gone on arming rapidly.
Germany Looks to Danube.
To get anywhere in the direction OF
ordered peace in Europe now it would
be necessary for the French to agree
to German rearmament, the Germans
to renounce their Austrian plans and
the British to undertake more extern
sive responsibilities for the status quo
which means the security of France
and her allies-than is at present pos
sible. Least possible of all is German
remuneration Of the purpose to unite
the Reich and the Austrian Republic.
Put in simplest fashion Germany is
ready to come to any agreement with
France which might reassure the
French Of their own security, and
would even welcome British guarantees
Of French security. She is equally ready
to give similar assurances in so far
as Italian security is concerned. And