Evening star., 1935-04-01
Closing the Ring.

While the Moscow communique
summarizing the Eden-Litvinoff Stain
negotiations disavows the intention Of
bringing about ''the isolation or en-
circlement of any states" it must be
plain to Germany by this time that
Europe is fiercely determined through
collective action to guard itself at all
points against the Nazi peril. Great
Britain and Soviet Russia are fully
agreed upon the necessity of providing
security through arrangements for
mutual assistance, as contemplated by
the Anglo French accord OF Feb
ruary 8.
The Moscow conversations had
security in the East primarily in mind.
To effect and maintain it, the Anglo
Russian communique points out, the
participation Of both Germany and
Poland would be welcomed, as afford
ing the best solution of the problem"
Between the lines of that statement is
the warning that if the Germans and
the Poles decline to take part "in the
organization of security" they will
find themselves confronted by a group
ing Of force dedicated to the accom-
plishment of that purpose without
their assistance. Enthusiastically the
ring is closing around would-be
trouble breeders.
The British have revealed no liking
for commitments outside of their i'm
mediate sphere in Western Europe.
Among the things borne in upon Capt.
Eden by his Soviet hosts was that a
Germany, with or without Polish
help, that contrived to impose its will
In Eastern Europe could not long be
expected to suppress aggressive ambi-
tions in regions closer to the English
Channel. Thus, problems now of i'm
portance, more directly to the Soviet
Union and its French ally, to Austria,
to Czechoslovakia and to the other
Little Entente powers. sooner or later
would assume magnitude for Great
Britain. It can hardly be doubted that
the exploratory" missions of Sir John
Simon and Capt. Eden in Berlin and
Moscow have gone far to convince the
British government that it cannot
afford, in its own interests, to stand
aloof from general European security
agreement in the teeth of Hitler's re-
armament challenge and territorial
revision plans.
At Moscow during the Eden visit
there was unofficial talk about a Far
Eastern Locarno," in which the United
States would be asked to participate
It was occasioned by Russian fears of
a German-Japanese alliance which
some day might compel the Soviet to
do battle simultaneously on both its
western and eastern fronts. Japan
has taken prompt occasion to scotch
the Locarno rumor, saying fatty that
Toxic contemplates neither any such
pact nor any alliance with Germany.
It is scarcely necessary for Washing
ton to disclaim American interest in
q Far Eastern Locarno." Our ex-
perience with the nine-power pact has
not been such as to generate enthusi-
asm for new ventures of that nature.
European events of the next two or
three weeks will carry further the
plans for making Germany realize the
hopelessness Of achieving her purposes
through reversion to pre-war mill
tarism. The Franco Italian
conference at Stresa on April IL and
the League Of Nations Council a few
days later are certain to bolster the
defensive structure which the allied
powers are steadily rearing against
Nazi pretensions and threats.
--e-eeop-e-