Evening star., 1936-03-09
j. S. HOPES WAR
WILL Be AVERTED
Officials Here Watch British
Efforts to Maintain
World Peace.
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.

Oficial quarters in washington
hope, on the strength of diplomatic
reports received from Europe since
Saturday. that war still may be
avoided.
This hope is based mainly on the
British efforts to bring about set
tlement on some sort of basis which
is expected to be found either in
Paris or at Geneva.
OF all the European countries, Brit
ain is about the only one which has
remained cool and looks at the situ-
alton from the realistic point of view.
Official Britain is strong in its de-
nunciation of Adolf Hitler, who has
precipitated the crisis by his mis-
handling of the Locarno pact and
the treaty of Versailles.
But the British want to avoid
showdown between Germany and
France and her allies.
Besides the fact that British public
opinion is opposed to war, there are
two other important reasons why the
London government wants to counsel
Paris to remain calm.
Britain Unprepared.
The first one is that the British ma
tional defense is not ready for ma
jor emergency. The British do not
want to take a chance like they did
in 1914.
The second reason is that the Brit
ish diplomats discount the reports
that Italy and Poland are willing to
stand by France.
British diplomatic quarters believe
the best that can be hoped from Italy,
in the event of new European con-
f1agration, is a neutral attitude. And
that neutrality will have to be pur-
chased with complete reputation of
all the actions France, Great Britain
and the other members of the League
have taken against Italy since Musso-
lini's legions invaded Ethiopia.
Such an action, it is believed in
London, will be sufficient to kill al
together whatever prestige the League
may still have in Europe, without ac-
tually serving the cause of peace.
Of course, it is realized that Britain S
efforts may fail because of the in
tense excitement which prevails among
the French and their allies. The war
machinery has already started moving.
The fact that important concentra-
ton of troops taking place along
the German border is less threatening
than the reported maSsing Of Russian
troops at the Latvian and Lithuanian
borders.
According to reports. not officially
confirmed yet no less than 10 di-
visions of the best Soviet troops are
being dispatched. There is no COM
mon border between the Soviets and
Germany, but Lithuania is known to
be antagonistic to the Reich. because
of the Memel question. In the event
of a war there is little doubt that the
Lithuanian government will be placed
in the position Belgium was in 1914.
with the difference that Lithuania
will not object having its neutrality
violated by the Russians.
United States to Remain Neutral.
The United States Government.
while following closely through its
representatives abroad the European
developments, is determined not to
take sides under any circumstances.
In case of European war there is
no doubt that the neutrality act
permitting the export of raw ma
terials will be more helpful to Ger
many's opponents than to the Reich.
merely because the others have the
necessary foreign exchange to pur-
chase what they need in this country.
But, from the political point of view,
the United States will not take
hand either directly or indirectly in
the present European mess. This
country is not party to the Versailles
treaty nor has it any direct interest
In the Locarno pact.
Of course. there is always the pos
sibility Of platonic move on the
part of the State Department on the
basis of the Kellogg pact. But, should
the administration decide to invoke
that pact, it will do it without any
hope of real success.