Evening star., 1935-06-16
REICH RETURN TO LEAGUE
BEFORE OCTOBER is SEEN
Negotiations Already Under Way Off
cially and Semi-Secretly for Bringing
Germany Back to Geneva.
BY ,ALBIN Z. JOHNSON.

~ secretly, for bringing Ger
many back into the orbit
Of international cooperation, which
still centers around the somewhat
distorted League Covenant. are al
most certain to result in Berlin's re-
turn to Geneva, perhaps before next
October From sources which must
be taken seriously, it is learned that,
barring unforeseen and unanticipated
political and diplomatic comphca-
tions, Germany will not allow her
two-year period of notification, which
expires the middle of October. to pass
without serious move toward re-
conciliation with Geneva. France,
Great Britain and Russia will like
wise attempt to smooth the way for
Germany's return, Nazis or no NaziS.
During the past few weeks-since
the council resolution and Hitler's
reply to Geneva's condemnation
both political and economic forces
have been definitely narrowing the
field of disagreement between Ger
many and the ex-allies. German re-
armament Is now fait accomph;
for the time being disarmament is
a dead letter. The system of "col-
lective security" demanded by the
French as a result of the Nazi's bolt
from the league 18 months ago, has
been advanced as far as is possible
without the participation Of Germany.
The ring of steel" around the
Third Reich-France, Italy, the Pc
tite Entente, Poland and Belgium,
with Great Britain and Soviet Rus
sia in reserve, is as strongly welded
as it will ever be under existing cir
cumstances. Italy is the weakest link,
with Poland the next weakest. But
the interests of these two countries
in Austrian independence and the
Polish Corridor ar inextricably
bound up with the ex-allies rather
than with Germany.
Two Possibilities Ahead.
With the drift toward hostilities,
which was pronounced the past
Spring, definitely halted, there are
two possibilities ahead of Europe
Either the intensification of the arm
ament's race and inevitably war or
internal difficulties due to the heavy
taxation, or a gradual liquidation or
appeasement of the outstanding po-
litical disagreementS and return to
the pre-depression normalcy of the
BRAND Stresemann Chamberlain
period.
The French. convinced now that
they missed the train" in not being
generous to Gustav Stresemann,
Bruening and Curtius, in the difficult
~ t6n
likely to make the same mistake again.
They have consistently spurned the
outstretched hand of Hitler and his
Nazis, but now that they have him
ION the ropes" they can be expected to
seize the psychological moment to be
conciliatory. From a diplomatic, as
well as economic standpoint, it is i'm
peratiye for Hitler to obtain a rap
prochement with France; for the
French an understanding" is equally
desirable in view oe their difficult in
ternal political and economic situa-
ton. Once France and Germany have
composed their differences, 1t will be
easy to adjust matters with the other
powers.
Foreign Minister Laval, after his
visits to Rome, London, Warsaw,
Prague and Moscow, waited for Hit
ler's reaction. 1t came-after much
forethought on the part of the Will
helmstraSse-witht the enunciation Of
the thirteen points" Now the French,
who are the hub of the exalted group,
have begun seriously exploring the pos
sibilities of what Laval chooses to call
an arrangement" with Berlin. Laval
has none of the political inhibitions
of his unfortunate predecessor, the
murdered Louis Barthou. He will ne
gotiate with the Devil himself if nee
esSary to obtain what France conSid-
ers an adequate security. His pacts
with Fascist Italy and Soviet Russia
on one hand and the understanding
with the British have been charac-
terized as an appeal to policemen and
gangsters for protection. They show
the length to which the French can,
and will, 60 to assure maintenance of
the European territorial status quo and
peace.
LavaPs Plans Are Vague.
What Laval has up his sleeve in re-
spect to an arrangement" with the
Nazis is still bit vague. But one
thing that is certain is that his is not
an exclusive Laval policy" 1t repre-
sents the long-range program Of the
general staff, the Quai d'Orsay or
foreign office, the Comite des Forges
and French industrial interests and
the great mass of the French people
themselves, including the powerful
Ancien Combattants organizations,
which have never had a great deal Of
dificulty in getting together with the
German National Socialists. Another
thing that can be taken for granted
is that any arrangement" will be
predicated upon Germany's return to
Geneva. Laval may pass out OF the
picture as result of cabinet crises
before the Summer is over. but the
undercover negotiations will 90 on.
They may even be out in the open by
the time this is printed.
So far as GERMANY Is concerned
the recent Council resolution at Ge-
neva. denouncing her as a treaty
breaker, is water unoel the bridge"
Her rearmament program continues
in accordance with predetermined
schedules, influenced only by internal
economic obstacles. The Stresa dis
cussions and the Geneva declaration
marked the nigh tide of the war
psychology In the lest OF Europe. The
Importance Of the Leagues action,
however, has been underestimated. 1t
provided safety valve" for French
tension which was necessary, just as
the Hungarian terrorist inquiry
dampened the powder which WAS scat
tered around the Balkans after King
Alexander's assassination. On the
other hand, the escaping steam did
not greatly irritate Germany, thanks
TO the tight control the Nazis nave on
the press, radio and ether means for
regulating public opinion.
In addition, the moral condemna-
ton of Germany, who is still u MEM
Der Of the League and bound by the
Covenant, was vindication fer the
League. The resolution preserved the
theoretical sanctity Of the Covenant
=. f.. - haw -