Evening star., 1935-10-20

popular In Britain.
But then came Hitler, and the
Nazis. The suppression of the Ger
man Social Democratic party, the
trades unions and, indeed, the whole
organized working class movement ir
Germany aroused the most bitter feel
ings Of resentment among the work.
ing classes OF Britain. Almost in q
night. so to say. the working men and
those who were too young to have
been in the last war ceased being
mildly pro-German and became ar
IDENTIFY pro-French. 1t was suddenly
realized that the very gains of the
French Revolution were threatened all
over Europe, if not all over the world
that the whole ideal of human liberty
was challenged.
Last Democracy on Continent.
France Is now looked upon as per-
haps the last great democracy on the
mainland Of Europe, the last bulwark
Of the parliamentary system OF "gov-
ernment Of the people, by the people,
for the people," to quote Lincoln's s
famous definition.
As the attachment to the parlia-
mentary system is even stronger in
Britain, it is easy to understand this
sea-change In opinion. After two and
a half years of Nazi rule, this feeling
has been strengthened by the alarm
caused by German rearmament.
Whereas it was a naval threat which
so disturbed British public opinion
when it came from Germany prior to
the war, it was now realized that the
air weapon Is as great menace, or
even greater. The building up Of q
great air force in Germany, combined
with the general preaching Of the
doctrine of force and nationalism,
caused much perturbation in British
public opinion of all sections from
the government downward. And this
despite the pacific declarations from
time to time of Herr Hitler himself.
It Is true to say that the general
feeling in Britain Is more strongly
Francophile today than at any time
in the history of the two nations,
save possibly during the actual years
of the war itself.
France Reciprocates.
There is reciprocity in France,
though certain recent events have
acted as counteracting force.
France now has an ally in Russia.
It is not a military alliance in the
old sense of the word, but from the
point of view of the French general
staff and the French politicians 1t
comes to much the same thing.
France Is not so dependent, therefore,
on British help.
The German rearmament did not
come as such q shock to the French;
for they had been told for years that
1t was in progress. No doubt the re-
ports Of German rearmament were
exaggerated in France; nevertheless,
when the rearmament became an
acknowledged fact French public
opinion was not so surprised as Brit
ish public opinion.
The Anglo-German naval treaty
caused great annoyance in France.
It was regarded as breaking the
Stresa front of the signatory powers
against further German treaty VIOLA
tions, In spirit If not In letter. It
was felt to be contrary to the system
Of collective security and the whole
program of mutual reductions OF
armaments by agreement.
Disarmament Is Thorn.
The French furthermore accused
the English of being impractical where
disarmament Is concerned. The
French declared that we always want
to deprive other nations OF their
cherished weapons. For example.
France was invited by Britain to re-
duce her army and abolish her sub
marines, while we British proposed
to maintain our great battleships and
(Continued on Third Psss.l