Evening star., 1934-06-24

the states of the Little Entente
and Soviet Russia is a matter
Il of wonder to much of the
world. 1t appears to have come
about very suddenly. For more than a
decade the intimate cooperation OF
Moscow and Berlin, the Bolshevik hos
tility toward the middle classes re-
public" in Paris had been regarded
everywhere as fundamental factors In
the European situation.
But as a matter of fact, the change,
however striking it may seem, is the
outcome of lengthy process COM
manded by two capital facts.
In the first place, the states which
strive to maintain and consolidate the
present structure of Europe as Gre
ated by the peace treaties have grad-
ually been discouraged by the atti-
tude of aloofness and indifference, by
the "reviSioniSt" tendencies of the
British and Italian governments.
Therefore while unremitting in their
effort to enlist the sympathy of these
nations, they have concluded that for
the time being it would not be wise
to rely on their support. So they
sought an alternative system of al
lances.
Also, the leaders of the Soviet Union
have been deeply disturbed by the
racial Pan-Germanism" of the Hit
ierites. In that respect the memo
randum submitted by Vice Chancel-
lor Hugenberg to the London Eco
nomic Conference a year ago may be
taken as turning point. In that
memorandum-speedily disowned by
Berlin. but nevertheless understood to
be a clue to the inner thought of the
Hitler revolution-the forcible colon
ization of Russia and the suppression
OF MarXiSnl were propounded as items
of paramount Importance in a pro-
gram of European reconciliation and
reconstruction. The resignation OF
Herr Hugenberg which quickly fol-
lowed publication of the document,
did not dispell the fears of Moscow,
which for several months had been
alarmed by developments in Germany
and knew only too well that a Euro
pean war would bring disaster for
Russia.
Until then Russia S leaders had felt
that the military preponderance OF
France might. sooner or later. spell
their ruin; they must check it. and
they thought that the best course was
to band together however difficult
the undertaking should prove, the
force of German revenge and the
force of social upheaval. Suddenly
they realized that MarXiSt Commun-
ism as conquering force was not a
match for Fascism. Of course. the
growth of Japanese power in the Far
East played its part. Within a few
months Soviet diplomacy became con-
servative. Last September the Pres
ident of the Soviet Union. Kalinin.
said to M. Herriot. his guest: I'VE
must join hands to make the peace
treaties respected everywhere!"
With an extraordinary vigor the
SovletS have set themselves to the
task of protecting the territorial and
political order of things now in exist
ence. The first step they took to
that effect was the conclusion in July,
1888, with the Little Entente and
other neighboring states of the treaty
for the definition of the aggressor-a
treaty which must be considered
meaningless unless it presages treaty
OF mutual guaranty and assistance.
Lltvinov has been paving the way
for an achievement of that descrip-
ton.
These, briefly indicated, were the
principal events which broke the
ground upon which the governments of
Paris and Moscow are now about to
build Cor attempt to build) a European
treaty of mutual guaranty and assist
ance intended to put a stop to the
revisionist campaign. which radiates
from Berlin to Budapest.
France has not embarked on that
new path without many doubts. hesi-
tatiOnS and searchings Of heart At
first the proposals of military alliance
brought from the Russian capital by
Herriot last September were rather
derided in official quarters. What
could be the use of an alliance with
a red army which was deemed eff
cient only for political repressionS at
home? Would any state dare admit
such an army to its own territory to
stand on a common line with its own
troops against an aggressor?
However, little by little those appre-
tensions 1essened or vanished The
conclusion was reached that in the
present European situation the chief
concern of France and of her allies
or associates ought to be to widen
and deepen as much as possible the
breach between Germany and Russia
to make it. if not impossible, at least
very difficult for any German govern
ment which may happen to succeed
Hitler's dictatorship to resume the So
called policy of Rapallo, whereby the
German Reichswehr is supposed to
have established its hold upon the re-
sources of the Soviet Union.
Compared to that supreme objective,
all other considerations were deemed
of secondary importance. After all,
the permanent arrangement of Ger
many and Russia would entail such