Evening star., 1935-05-12
BY FRANK II. SIMONDS.

~ the House OF Commons
wv and the simultaneous and
significant signing of the
Franco Russian pact the
incident" precipitated by Hitler'S
rearmament announcement Of March
l6 came to an end. On the one hand
Germany had with impunity torn up
the military sectio1s Of the treaty of
Versailles and resumed her complete
freedom in the matter Of army and
navy alike. On the other. Great
Britain had been visibly forced toward
the continental coalition which has
been taking form ever since the
putSch in Vienna last July and which
now prospectively includes France,
Italy, the Soviet Union and the Little
Entente.
Apart from the British detail the
most important single result of this
latest crisis has been the enormous
accentuation of the tension in Eu-
rope. Actually, ever since Hitler finally
took complete control following the
German election Of March 5, 1888, the
whole atmosphere Of Europe has been
becoming more and more charged with
electricity. The putsch in Vienna, the
assassination Of King Alexander and
the recent arms episode have each in
turn not merely illustrated the state
of mind prevailing in the Old World,
but left that state Of mind still further
exacerbated.
What was significant in the House
of Commons debate was the frank ad-
mission that Great Britain is now in
ferior to Germany in the air, and that
only by close understanding with
France and Italy can she be secure
during the considerable period neces-
sary to catch up. AS half of the Brit
ish air force must always be distributed
to serve imperial and naval needs, tao
tical parity with Germany in the air
must mean for Britain force at least
so per cent larger than that of the
Reich. Meantime, as Britain obvious
ly must depend upon France and Italy
for security, she will also have to act
closely with them in any later crisis
in which their security may be i'm
periled.
Haldane's Excursion Recalled.
II one were to seek to interpret the
latest crisis in terms Of pre-war his
tory, it is evident that the parallel
between Lord Haldane's excursion to
Berlin in the earlier period and Sir
John Simon's in the later is impress
sive. Both British statesmen set out
to discover for a cabinet and country,
which were eager to come to terms
with the Germans in the matter of
armaments-naval then, aerial now
whether adjustment were possible,
When Haldane came back to London
and reported that satisfactory agree
ment was not to be had, Britain pro-
ceeded deliberately to make her ar
rangements with France and Russia
Obviously, the same process is in
operation now, although once more
the British cabinet insists that formal
commitments do not exist.
Actually there is no real need of
them. For German action has sup
piled the cement necessary to bind
together British and continental inter-
ests, and where the interests are
identical the need of written contracts
is slight Thus. beneath the surface
there will now be very close association
between British, French and italian
air ministries and staffs, and plans
for common action in case of crisis
will be elaborated as were the plans
for joint military action between
French and British armies before 1914
Any German offensive move west of
the Rhine would therefore insure i'm
mediate and combined action by the
other four signatorieS Of the Locarno
pacts--namely, Britain, France. Italy
and Belgium.
AS to the situation in the Danubian
Basin, where Italian security is at
stake, that remains obscure, although
much light may be thrown upon it
by the approaching Rome conference.
If Germany should undertake to de-
stroy the present nominal independ-
ence Of Austria, unquestionably Italy
and the Little Entente would resort to
force and France would almost auto
matically act with them. So far, how
ever Britain is not bound to 60 beyond
consultation. although she is COM
mitted in principle to the maintenance
of Austrian independence. Technically
too, the Soviet Unions hands are also
free. although its interests are touched
more closely than those of Britain.
Pact Clarifies Situation.
| As for the situation in the east, that
has been somewhat clarified by the
Franco Russian pact. If Germany
actually invades Soviet territory France
will make of IL a casus belli, and the
Soviets similarly will regard German
violation Of French frontiers. In such
case both nations will act first ano
wait for the League decision later
Significantly enough, too, Ramsay
Macdonald announced in the House
of Commons that such French action
would not obligate Britain to defend
Germany under the terms Of the
Locarno pact. Nor, of course, would il
bind the British to support the French
The main business of the Rome con.
ference, however, must be to co-ordi-
nate the agreements covering the three
regions of the Rhine, the Danube and
the east. In practice, what seems like
ly to happen is that Italy and the ma
tions of the Little Entente will agree
| TO Qe1enQ AuSCIldu lIlUcpcIlUcIlCc. 4ACy
will try, but probably without success,
to persuade Hungary to enter this COM
bination. At the same time, France
and the Soviet Union will guarantee
this new pact, as Britain and Italy
underworld that of Locarno. Germany
certainly will be asked to join, but
participation by the Reich would in
volve remuneration of all purpose to
disturb the status quo either by direct
attack or by indirect maneuver against
the existing regime. And German as
sent to such pact seems unlikely.
Undoubtedly the Soviets will ask
from Italy some form of agreement
like that already made with France,
which will assure them Italian aid in
case of German attack. This, too,
would constitute fair return for a
Russian underwriting of the status
quo in the Danubian area vital to Ital-
| ian safety. Whether Poland and Ru-
mania will directly participate in the
poy,ao conference 0r mt and what