The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1935-09-06

benefited from the agreements or l9l3
have formed coalitions both inside and
outside the league, forcing those which
did not to act more or less on their
own. Germany has already withdrawn
from the league, and Italy threatens to
if the league interferes with her Afri-
can policy-although it must be adj
mitted that Italy certainly gained
more than she lost, if indeed she lost
anything by the 1919 pacts.
The league has, even SO, been of
more benefit in Europe than elsewhere.
1t handled the Saar plebiscite with
admitted efficiency. 1t handled the
Balkan case in satisfactory way.
1t has otherwise fostered the peace
of Europe. Its chief value, perhaps,
has been as a safety valve.
Fear characterizes French.
AS to the attitude of the principal
league powers on the continent, that
of France is still created by the Ger
man problem which Overshadows
everything else. But France has with
in her own boundaries political strug-
gle which may affect her attitude
sooner or later; there are movements,
especially among the youth, against
the parliamentary republican form Of
government, and crying for much
greater concentration of authority.
There are definite Fascistic trends.
The French press and the French
foreign Office has educated the people
to the fact that the Reich is standing
today on the threshold of complete
bankruptcy, financial and economic.
The reason for this is that the wheels
of German industry which have been
humming so loudly for years, have
been humming in the manufacture of
arms and not of goods to be sold. The
time cannot be put off much longer,
says the French government to its
people, when Germany will be faced
with doing one of two things: Using
these gigantic war supplies in an ag
gressive war, or giving up to a COM
plete collapse which will mean good
by to national socialism. There can
be no doubt about what the Nazi
choice will be, says France.
There are in France many who be-
lieve that she should prevent such
war by starting one against Germany
herself, before Germany has had a
chance to arm to the limit Of her
schedule, but the consensus is that it
is hardly likely France would ever en-
gage in such a war.
Efforts of the Reich to form peace
pact with France have fallen down,
and France has entered into pact
with Russia, a step aimed only at Ger
many. There is little likelihood that
this agreement will cause any great
stress in international relations for
the simple reason that it is everywhere
recognized as negative agreement.
which France entered into only to
keep Germany from being first to ally
herself with Russia.
A similar alliance has been entered
into with Poland and the three coun-
tries of the Little Entente-Cz echoslo-
vakia, Rumania and Yugoslavia. OF
course, so many alliances have the
difficulty of meaning that France is
likely to get involved in almost any
war in Europe.
Fear has been the theme of the en-
tire French foreign policy. After
Pierre Lavars visit to Rome in JAN
uary, it Is believed that even the pres
ent Italo- Ethiopian situation arose out
of French fear, for it is hardly pos
sible that Mussolini would have en-
barked on so aggressive and obnoxious
a venture unless he were reasonably
certain of French assent.
italy Set on War.
More than anything else, France
realizes that alignment with Great
Britain is necessary to protect her
against Germany and she is therefore
unlikely to do anything which will
seriously disturb Franco-British rela-
tions.
Italy seems to be the only nation
who has her heart set upon war-and
that is not a European war. She has
only one idea In mind-the conquest
Of Ethiopia, and probably nothing can
prevent the war In Africa.