Evening star., 1935-06-09

ish foreign policy, 1t is
bound to help Anglo French relations
materially, for the French have
the latter. In a sense the return OF
Macdonald to power as Labor premier
in 1929 was a European disaster, not
merely because it led to the retire
ment OF Sir Austen Chamberlain from
the foreign Office. but also because
it brought a distinct change in the
relations between Paris and London.
SIX years ago Macdonald came to
Office pledged to end what his Labor
followers believed was the subserviency
of British to French craftsmanship.
Macdonald set out to establish a
parity between British friendship with
the Germans and with the French.
The end of his experiment was the
bitter newspaper article Of few weeks
ago, in which he charged the German
dictator with responsibility for the
present war-fear in Europe. In the
hope Of establishing closer Anglo
German relations Macdonald sacri-
feed the policy Of Locarno, but to
that policy he has been compelled
to return.
Baldwin Unwavering.
Baldwin, by contrast, has never wa
vered in his conviction that co-opera-
ton between France and Great Brit
ain was inescapab BILE and that, in fact,
if France were not to be considered
an ally, at least she was to be reck-
0ned England's first friend in Europe.
That did not mean before and 1t
will not mean now that British policy
will be directed to satisfy French de-
mands. But it does mean that be-
cause the French feel sure of Bald
wins loyalty it will be easier to
win them to necessary concessions
than it has been during the period,
now long past, when Macdonald ex-
ercised real influence over British
policy.
In dealing with Germany Baldwin
will be realistic and if. as seems likely.
Simon is also shifted, British policy
will regain a steadine which 1t has
lacked through all the years since
/ Austen Chamberlain retired. Simon
I lbs bCCu OIIC VI lllC slCdb
! Of our time and his unpopularity
at home has been matched by the
lack OF confidence he has inspired
abroad, not merely among the French
who suspected him. but also among
/ the Germans, who charge that in the
recent Berlin conversations he de-
ceived Hitler.
| Actually at the Disarmament Con-
ference and during the crisis provoked
by the Manchurian affair Simon
seemed like a great lawyer without
brief. He was equally enigmatic
to the hostile japanese and TO the
( friendly Chinese and some of his
blunders became bywords in the
League corridors. No man could have
seemed more completely out Of place
than did he in the foreign Office and
he is the first British foreign minister
I have ever seen in an international
conference who did not even COM
mand the respect of the representa-
tives of the British press.
AngIo-French Tie Tightening.
With the retirement of Simon and
/ the arrival of Eden, if he is selected
to fill the vacancy, or for that matter
with the coming Of any new foreign
secretary Hitler's advisers in Will
helmstrasse will recognize the slight
| chance of driving any wedge between
/ France and Great Britain. In point
Of fact, Ritler's own words and actions
have disclosed an evident appreciation
of that fact. His restatement of Ger
man acceptance Of the Locarno pact
of 1928 in his great speech upon for
eign affairs also demonstrated that
he recognized this agreement as the
only possible basis for dealing with
the British.
Conversations such as are now fore
cast between London and Berlin on
the subject of air and naval arma-
ments are likely to be long drawn out
1t is evident, too. that the United
States must have at least a mild in
terest in these. because where there
were formerly but five maritime pow
ers Germany now means to be the
sixth and must be reckoned with ir
all naval discussions. Not impoSsibly
too, the SovietS will demand repre-
sentation in future conferences. Ger
man programs as at present reported
however, do not threaten to disturb
the tonnage agreements of the Lon
don conference.
Before the Summer Is out it Is fal
from unlikely that British and Italian
statesmen will be able to obtain French
consent to the recognition of Ger
manys right to parity in armament'
in return for German agreement tC
various limitations in air. land anc
naval details. There is, of course, nj
sense in refusing to recognize an &C
complished fact and German rearma.
ment is that. But the British deter.
mination to achieve parity with thu
Reich's air force will hardly be shaken
particularly since until that is as
sured English security will be at leas
measurably dependent upon the sup
port of France and Italy in the air
All Baldwin's strategy seems to takt
the line of accepting Hitler's words a.
their face value and proposing on,
step after another which will tes
their actual value.
Four Powers Rule League.
1t is interesting to note the fashion
in which both Baldwin and Eden have
lately begun to fly kites and loos'
trial balloons to test out American
sentiment in the matter of the League
of Nations. All the present talk abou
American entrance in the existinl
collective system is, however. devoic
of actua!ity because no such system
exists. In its present form the League
has become the instrument Of foul
great powers. all similarly If not equal.
ly alarmed over the threat of present
German purposes to their own Sc
curity.
World peace and British security
seem, naturally enough. to be iden-
tical in the eyes of both Baldwin
and Eden. But the picture Of the
United States lending its great infiu-
ence and considerable force to the
maintenance of the status quo in Eu-
rope in the name Of world peace is a
little fantastic. The question as to
whether the Germans Of Austria and
Czechoslovakia are ultimately gath
cred into the Reich by their own con-