Evening star., 1935-02-17
BY FRANK II. SIMONDS.

TT IS now almost 10 years since
BRAND, StreSemann and Austen
Chamberlain drafted the famous
Il truce of Locarno in Switzerland
OF the great triumvirate of peace,
BRAND and StreSemann are dead and
Chamberlain is no longer at the Brit
fish foreign Office. The truce of Lo-
carno gave Europe five years of tran
cuillity before it was destroyed by the
great depression, which was responsible
for the eventual overthrow of the Ger
man republic and for the immediate
resort of Bruening, the last repub-
lican chancellor. to the AuStrO- German
tariff union project.
This desperate device, designed to
meet the growing pressure of the
'Nazi" in Germany. aroused France
and her allies and, in part at least, was
responsible for the financial crash
which wrecked first the Austrian and |
then the German banks and presently |
spread ruin all over the world. After
that followed the various political |
repercussions which eliminated in the
Austrian putsch last Summer and led |
to the SevereSt war scare in Europe |
since 1918.
since last summer various lIllilSS |
have been happening-all leading to
a single end The three great conti-
mental powers have been drawn to-
gether by the menace of the eventual |
If not the immediate consequences of
Germany'S policy. First of all, the
Soviet Union, putting aside even the !
theory of conflict with the capitalistic
world, entered the League of Nations |
and began negotiations with France |
designed to revive the old alliance |
that once existed between the French |
and the RomanoffS.
Three Powers United.
Much more recently, France and
Italy, after long years of bitter re-
examinations. proceeded to liquidate
their colonial differences and reach
common agreement for military ac-
ton to defend the independence Of
Austria. The Soviet. fearful Of Ger
man designs upon the Ukraine; the
Italians, anxious about German pur-
poses in Austria; the French, appre-
hensive over the ultimate consequences
to them of German expansion in !
Central and Eastern Europe, now stand /
ready to act. not merely automatically,
but arms in hand, if Austrian inde-
pendence is threatened.
In addition, strenuous efforts have |
been made to bring about the as
sociation of the Little Entente with
the three great powers and thus in
sure action by the three succession
states in case of any attack by Ger
many upon Austria, So far this prof. I
ect seems to have remained at the
point of discussion. Only agree
ment between Italy and the Little
Entente over the question of Hungary
could bring in the Entente states un-
heSitatingly and unitedly on the side
of the great powers, although 1t is .
fair to assume CZeChoSlOvakia would /
move with France Italy and Soviet |
Russia in case Austrian independence /
were threatened.
Thus within a year there has been |
taking shape a new grand coalition |
designed to defend the status quo in |
Central Europe against all possible
German challenge Two pacts re- .
spectively described as the Eastern and .
Danubian Locarnos, have been pro- /
posed and are now under negotiation, |
the first covering the region immedi-
dISly W CIIC NISA lIloAlo, OANo, /
Soviets and Baltic states, the second .
relating to the basin of the Danube. |
Both follow the model of the original |
Locarno and would bind all sigma
tories to common action in defense
OF any victim of aggression.
Poles and Germans Friendly.
So far the Eastern LOcarno has
been blocked by German and Polish
opposition. These two countries, ira
ditional enemies. and IN the early
postwar years perpetually at odds,
have made a l0-year aggression
pact, as have the Poles with the So
viets, also. For a variety of reasons
Poland has concomitantly broken off
her long standing friendship with
France and entered the German orbit
Now if the Germans and Poles destroy
the proposed Eastern Locarno, they
are confronted by the prospect of
military alliance between France and
the Soviet Union to which Czecho-
slovakia will almost certainly adhere.
The present situation of the Danu-
bian Locarno is a little more obscure.
Up to the present time Hungary has
plainly refused to join in any agree
ment which does not recognize her
claim to territorial revision. That
claim threatens the frontiers Of the
three states of the Little Entente,
Czechoslovakia. Yugoslavia and Ru-
mania. And it has so far received
support from Italy. AS the Little
Entente is closely bound to France,
while both Hungary and Austria are
similarly associated with Italy, it Is
fair to assume that the two great
powers, having come to terms, will
seek to bring about an adjustment
between their smaller allies Given
the Hungarian state of mind, how
. ever, it is hard to see how agreement
can come save as Italy drops her
Magyar friend. And, if that happens.
Budapest would certainly turn to
Berlin.
Meantime, following closely upon
the Conference of Rome, came that
of London. Laval, who had reached |
an accord with Italy. accompanied |
Flandin to Britain and the new plan |
of an aerial Locarno was framed. Ac- |
tually the design Is to persuade Hitler |
to follow the example of StreSemann !.
10 years earlier and return to Euro |
pean councils He is offered as a |
reward recognition of German right |
to parity in armaments, but he is
asked to agree to the eastern and !
Danubian Locarnos as Stresemann |
Gid to the original truce.
Western Frontier Recognized.
When Germany made the original
Locarno she had just been smashed
financially and economically by the |
French occupation of the Ruhr. In
f1ation had brought ruin even greater
than the war. In effect, her con-
querors now offered her financial aid !
and substantial reduction Of repara-
ton payments If she would agree to |
join the League and renounce all |
purpose to bring about territorial |
changes by force anywhere Eyentu- |