Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-05-26

Of reading newspapers like the Neve
Zurichen Zeitung
On their part, the Swiss are acutely
nervous of any interference with the
sanctities of their territory. There
have been several incidents that have
caused trouble. but the case of the
arrest of Jakob is much the most
serious. and the fact that the German
government, after dismissing the
Swiss protests with a high hand. later
consented to submit the matter to
arbitration under the German-Swiss
arbitration and Cancellation treaty is
of the deepest significance.
It indicates that there are limits
beyond which the dictatorship cannot
afford to ignore the decencies of in
ternational relationships, and it
shows also that the saner influences
in Germany can still bring effective
pressure to bear upon the government.
There is strong evidence that the
Jakob incident has been the subject
of severe conflict between the German
foreign Office and the secret police,
and the decision to submit the matter
to arbitration is conspicuous victory
for those who know that the public
opinion of Europe and the traditions
of civilized relationships cannot be
fouted with impunity.
Nor is it in Switzerland alone that
the unnerving policy of Nazi Germany
is the cause of fears among her
smaller neighbors. Leaving aside the
outstanding case of Austria and the
suspicious of Denmark and the Scan
dinavian countries, it is. as the Man
chester Guardian remarks, an illogi-
cal but true fact that the three Baltic
States-Lithuania, Latvia and Es-
tonia-are afraid of Germany, but
not of Russia" All three states were
carved out of the Russian empire and
they contain two of what were once
great Russian ports, Riga and Reval.
In all three there is still a consider
able Russian population, and none of
them could offer any resistance to
Russian attack. Fear of Russia, in
these circumstances, would be intelli-
gible. but no such fear exists, and the
relations between the Baltic states
and Moscow are entirely friendly.
But fear of Germany Is a reality.
And this in spite of the fact that none
OF the states was ever German ex-
cept for the Mcneil corner of Lithu-
anta. 1t is not assumed that Ger
many contemplates the annexation of
these countries, but the interest she
has taken in supporting the NaH
movement in Memel and her inter-
est in the German Nazi minorities in
the three countries indicate that she
sees in them fields for the extension
OF German influence in the east of
Europe in accordance with her openly
declared policy.
~ X
Lithuania is especially disquieted.
Her territory borders on Germany,
and as the naval policy Of that coun-
try obviously aims at the command of
the Baltic the fear that Iithuania is
in danger of being politically and eco
nomically subject to an aggressive
Germany Is Ineligible. The hopes
of these states have naturally CEN
tered in an eastern pact which would
secure their independence by estab-
fishing the stability of the existing
order. and the fact that Germany has
refused to subscribe to the pact has
deepened the apprehensions in re-
gard to the future. The conference
of the three states, which has been
held at Kovno, has been dominated
by the problem of collective policy
which. while not ostensibly anti
German, will aim at common pro-
lection against the revival Of German
In military sense, the influence of
Germany's little neighbors is negli-
gible, but no survey of the critical
situation which the chessboard of
Europe presents would be complete
which ignored these agitated pawns
in the great game that u developing
20 ominously.
(cosss,sht. 1esS1