Evening star., 1934-12-23


able rise in the temperature Is no
doubt the improved outlook Of trade
an improvement which, though it
started here, Is beginning to be evi-
dent elsewhere. Not the least Of the
factors is the quiet confidence you
find in all quarters that the daylight
Is beginning to filter through the
gloom that has hung over the Amer
lean landscape-for nothing Is more
acutely appreciated here than the i'm
portance to the world Of a return of
prosperity on the other side Of the
Atlantic.
But behind these visible and ma
terial signs that the worst Is over is
the feeling that the political sky Is
clearing. Quite the most remarkable
world fact Of the last week or two is
the remarkable revival In the authority
and prestige Of the League of Nations.
It was the widespread fear that the
League was down and out" that was
the source Of the hopelessness, border
ing on despair, that had taken pos
session Of the public mind. That fear
first began to be felt when Japan
fiouted the League and withdrew from
it, and when Germany, following the
defiant example Of Japan, also shook
the dust of the League of her feet.
1t seemed that the star Of Geneva had
set and that Europe was doomed once
more to collapse into Q chaos OF COM
petitive fragments.
That prospect Is now Sensibly di-
minished. The rehabilitation of the
League Is the most conspicuous fact
of the moment. 1t began, Of course,
with the entry Of Russia into the
orbit Of the League. That was an i'm
portant set-of to the detection Of
Japan, and left Germany the only
European nation outside the pale
q fact which must obviously have re-
percussions upon the mind of the
country. But the revived hopes have
been mainly stimulated by the two
great and remarkable triumphs for
League diplomacy which have been
achieved this month.
Both illustrate in q striking way
the value of Geneva as q sort of CEN
trail hospital for the treatment
of the distempers Of the European
body polite. For weeks Europe had
been approaching the storm cloud
over the Saar with deepening anxiety.
It was feared that whatever the issue
of the plebiscite, a practically insol-
uble situation would arise that would
lead to q violent clash on the Rhine.
Then, almost without warning, the
cloud dispersed at o wave of the wand
of the League. France agreed to ac-
cept the decision Of the Saar; the
terms of the transfer of the mines to
Germany were practically agreed;
Germany and France mutually de-
cided to stand aside during the prog
ress of the election, and the British
proposal of q disinterested policing
of the area while the crisis Is on was
Endorsed by Germany and, under the
direction Of Mussolini, unanimously
approved by the powers.
X 4
All this had the effect of instantly
relieving the tension Of the situation.
The alarms that had gathered around
the Saar problem were dispersed, and
the issue is now awaited with q calm
that would have seemed impossible
q month ago.
No less gratifying is the success of
the League in disposing of the Hun
,garian-Yugoslavian crisis. This had
been equally menscing and appar-
emily equally impossible Of an amicable
solution. But again the value of Geneva
as q clearing house for the inflamma-
tory conditions Of Europe was demon
strated by q midnight conference at
which both the powers which had
been straining at the leash, and
spelling for q fight that would have
embroiled the continent, were brought
to the acceptance Of wise and
statesmanlike understanding. The
significance of this incident Is in the
light 1t throws on the indisposition
of the powers behind the two potential
belligerents to permit quarrel In
which they could not have escaped be-
ing involved. But without the ma
chinery Of the League and the COL
lective influence 1t was able to bring
upon q heated situation, the solution
would not have been reached.
These events have restored all, and,
more than all, the prestige which the
League had lost and have gone far
to re-establish that concert Of Europe
which had seemed hopelessly doomed.
With such evidences of the vitality Of
the League system, there Is now .
growing conviction that Germany
will not long be absent from Geneva.
The internal situation Of that coun-
try has changed profoundly since
Hitler made his dramatic gesture Of
withdrawal, and whatever happens
there it Is unlikely that Germany will
find 1t prudent to be out Of step with
the whole continent.
tcopyright. 1934J