Evening star., 1935-09-30
A Hint to Hitler.

In the midst Of eleventh.hour efforts
to avert hostilities between Italy and
Ethiopia, Great Britain announces, in
fortnight terms that her interest in
prevention of "unprovoked aggression"
is not confined to Africa. The statement
is in response to inquiries by France as
to what extent she might be assured in
the future with respect to imposition of
League sanctions in the event of resort
to force in Europe in violation Of the
covenant. The French obviously were
bent upon obtaining pledges from the
British, in case of German attack on
France, before committing themselves too
extensively to join Britain in punitive
measures against Italy.
The London government withholds
blanket guarantee of aid for France
under any circumstances, but Foreign
Secretary Sir Samuel Hoare's circum-
spect communication leaves no doubt on
one cardinal score-that if and when
Germany commits palpable act of "un-
provoked aggression" Britain will live up
to her obligations as League member
unhesitatingly. There is one condition
under which the British would not feel
called upon to act under the sanctions
article of the covenant-namely, mere
failure of Germany or any other nation
to fulfill the terms of various treaties
pertaining to ornaments or European
boundaries. With respect to peaceable
treaty revisions affecting frontiers, the
British leave the way open both to Ger
many and other defeated powers on the
ground that elasticity is a part of Sc
curity," and nations must recognize that
"the world is not static" That sounds
very much as if John Bull is in receptive
mood to consider German demands for
restitution of a portion of the Reich's
former colonies. AS to German rearma-
ment in violation of the Versailles treaty.
the world faces an accomplished fact,
for which, as far as naval power is con-
cerned, Great Britain herself is mainly
responsible.
It is not without significance that
Britain's reafirmation of opposition to
''unprovoked aggression" was proclaimed
on the day the province Of Memel was
holding a crucial election which is to
determine whether Lithuanian or Ger
man domination is to prevail there. Hit
Ter has lately been discussing Memel in
truculent terms as territory which
righteously should be restored to the
Reich. Adjacent to East Prussia, from
which it was detached after the World
War, and predominantly inhabited by
Germans, the Nazis look upon Memel as
one Of those bleeding Germanic bor-
ders'-like the Polish Corridor, Danzig,
Upper Silesia and parts of Czechoslo-
vakia, Belgium and Denmark-which
some day must be retrieved. Austria, Of
course, also comes within that category,
though Hitler has renounced ambitions
to recover ce-Lorraine.
Dissatisfied as France may be with the
which Britain lays down
aid against Germany, one
thing seems fairly clear-Hitler must
seek to establish the Nazis' Greater
Germany" through treaty "rectifica-
tions" by peaceable means. Should he
embark upon positive acts Of unpro-
voked aggression" against his neighbors'
territory. he Is now put on notice that
the Nazis will have to reckon with the
same stern resistance which Britain is
offering to Mussolini's designs against
Ethiopia. John Bull, however, cate
gorically lays down the principle that
such resistance must be collective and
insists that "if risks for peace are to be
run. they must be run by all" Even so,
Britain's attitude toward European prob
lens, as just defined, is new factor
for peace and distinct encouragement
to territorial brigandage. Whether
France will now be in mood to particle
pate in rigid sanctions against Italy is
another question.