Evening star., 1935-12-20

That they were mistaken is now
obvious. The small nations want Italy
disciplined. They believe Mussolini
is bluflng. and if he isn't they are not
worried over the consequences of a
war. Yugoslavia replied to the criti-
cism of the British that no other ma
tion has been making war prepara-
tions to meet a possible conflict with
Italy with the suggestion that the
YugoSlaV armies were ready to attack
Italy by land as soon as Italy attacked
Great Britain in the Mediterranean.
Similar assurances IOere oiUen in
London by the Ministers of the
other Little Entente nations. Their
arguments Were all the same: 'It
you yield to Italy now, there is no
saying Uhen Germany or any
other po1oer mill do the same thing
to US. We shall haze to fight then
for our freedom. We might lust
as tCeu fight notD, if necessary. But
10e believe that il you maintain an
1d1mGnt attitude toWdrd MuSSo-
Iini at present there DiH be no tDdr
10ith Italy and the sanctity of
treaties in Europe WiU be main
t1ined."
Thus for the second time In Eu-
ropes modern history small nations
have been leading the big ones.
The first time such thing hap
pened was during the 1919 peace con-
ference when Venizelos, the Greek
premier, was the power behind the
scenes at Versailles and was followed
blindly by Lloyd George Clemenceau
and President Wilson.
King Feisal of Iraq was in Paris at
that time following the antics of the
Western Statesmen. When asked one
day by this writer what he thought
about all that business the wise Arab
replied: MY friend, have often
seen in the desert donkey leading
a string of camels." And that crisp
judgment goes for the present Euro
pean affairs too.
Unless some unforeseen incident oc-
ours, there is little likelihood that hos
tilities between Italy and the League
of Nations will occur before the end Of
the year. The much feared oil sane
tionS have been postponed until later
sometime in January or February.
The League Is waiting to see what
kind Of a neutrality law the United
States Congress will pass at the next
session and will conform its further
activities with those of
America.
Now that the League OF No
tions has Dindicdted-tempordrily,
at least-its existence, there are
quite fep optintiSts in Europe tDho
belieDe that this country might
still decide to join the Genera club.
This optimistic pieiDpoint Is
based on the Administrations SYM
p1thy t0ith that organization and
on the grotDtng belief that con-
ftct bett0een Japan and the United
States is inevitable.
1T q general wdr cannot be
GOotded," say these observers, "let
the dance OF death be general"
X X X
Foreign diplomats in Washington,
whose main job in the last two years
has been to send literary reports about
the New Deal and discuss the nnoc-
uous reciprocal trade agreements, have
a real job on their hands at present.
They are instructed to find out
what the Congress will do about the
new neutrality act and what the trend
of thought regarding a real collabora-
tion with the League is now in the
United States. Their reports are, for
once, read with eagerneSs by their
foreign ministers and are not filed by
some abSent-minded underling after a
percusory glance over the carefully
typed pages.