The Omaha guide., 1935-12-28
THE LAVAL PLAN FAILED

Outstanding news effecting all nations comes from the of
flee in the Quai d'0rsay, Paris, where Premier Laval of France
and Foreign Secretary Sir Samuel Hoare of Great Britain auth
ored a proposal that has set the world by its ears.
Great Britain and France has led the League of Nations
in seeking a solution to the Italian Ethiopian embroiio. In the
past, these two nations have taken the praiseworthy position of
great powers seeking to protect little ones. They have talked
much about high principles, about fairdealing, about justice.
They have done a great deal to enlist world sympathy in favor
of Ethiopia, and to cement it against Italy. 1t has been the
common belief that they would go to any ends to protect ETH
opian sovereignty.
1t is for that reason that the "deal' announced by Laval
and Hoare caused SO great a reverberation. Briefly and non
technically described, it would give Italy either outright or
virtual control of twothirds of Selassieis rich empire. Ethiopia
would be given certain things in exchange, notably a new sea-
port, but most commentators say they would really
amount to little inasmuch as Italy would be in position to dom
mate Ethiopian affairs 100 per cent. So far as Ethiopian in
dependence is concerned, the deal would seem to eliminate it
entirely.
Response to the announcement must have caused both
Premier Laval and Foreign Secretary Hoare to suffer a severe
attack Of nerves. The proposal had hardly gone out ON the
wires before protest began to pour in. In the French Chamber
of Deputies and the English House of Commons, members vr
ulenty denounced it. Newspapers followed suit, saying the
deal violated every dictae of justice. Puphc feeling ran high
in both countries.
More important still is the attitude of the little powers
toward the arrangement making the League membership. They
have most at stake in making the League a success, it being
obvious, for instance, that England is far better able to defend
itself from aggression than are Finland, Sweden, etc. As one
newspaper writer said, 'To all practical purposes, the peace
plan rewarded fascist Italy for its aggression against Ethiopia ,"
Small nations realize that ON some notfar-disant day they may
be I'M the position Ethiopia i. in now, with a big neighbor seek
ing to take over their territory. So, to these small nations,
the LavalHoare proposal is as unsavory as anything could be
Result is likely to be trouble inside the League, with small.
nations trying to wrest League leadership from England and
France, vest it in other, less important nations. 1t is obvious
that an internal battle of that sort would weaken the pow
er of the League.
Interesting sideight on Mussolisis attitude is that he finds
the Laval-Hoare proposal unsatisfactory because, even though
it give Italy so much, it still falls below his minimum demands"
The only inference to be made is that he plans to go ahead, in
the face of world opinion and sactions, will fight any on all
nations before giving in.
Thus, new complications arise in Europe-and every one
OF these complications. producing as they do hatred, misuder-
standings and anger, augment the possibility of a major war.
1t S for this reason that the Italian Ethiopian trouble is of
great interest to America, which would be critically affected
by any major wan. The American State Department still car
RES on Its careful, neutral policy-officials have little to say.
but cables are humming between Washington and our embassies
and counsels Business Work recently said that Roosevelt has
decided to ask 1.-THE next Congress) for full discretion. not only
as to commodities to be barred from export in war, but as to
nations to which embargo should apply when the bigger war
comes along and threatens to suck us in