Evening star., 1936-07-26

Southern Europe. So will Herr Hitler
in the North. The Scandinavian
states will now seek, above all, to
keep on good terms with Germany.
The French and the Czechs are in
different position. France really
did rely on the League, but SO far as
she was concerned it was a one-Way,
non-return valve. That is to say, so
long as 1t could be directed against
Germany in case of trouble, the
French supported the system and
worked hard to make the League
effective by placing reserve of armed
force behind it. That is why M. Laval
was so anxious not to push matters
to a conclusion with Italy.
But when the French wanted the
League ma chinery used against Ger
many, it was the British who held
back. So now France will strengthen
her system of alliances, notably with
Russia. This may be easier now that
there is Left Wing government in
France; France and Russia will seek
to extend their protection to Czecho-
slovakia.
Poland is In the German orbit al
ready. though she will try hard not to
be drawn into any conflict Signor
Madariga's proposed Balkan and
Danubian pacts will be under the vir-
tual protection of Italy.
Fascists Preferred.
Another reason for the change in
British policy is that there was far
more sympathy for the Right Wing
government of M. Laval than for the
Left Wing government of NJ Blum.
Important elements in the British po-
litical world believe that the French
government will go Red: and they
prefer the Fascist governments of
Rome and Berlin and would rather
work with them than with a Socialist
government in Paris.
There is one more important deci-
sion to be taken, and 1t will have to
be fought out in England during the
next few months. There are still those
in authority who favor reforming the
League in the direction Of strength
ening it-that Is, give it teeth. Their
argument is that economic sanctions
have proved too slow and difficult and
that a mistake was made at the be-
ginning in declaring, as was done
again and again, that in no circum-
stances would the League powers run
any risk of breach of the peace in
volving them in military action.
Those holding such opinions-they
include some important British Con.
servatives-are prepared to make
terms with the regionalists and limit
British military commitments in case
collective security has to be enforced
by arms.
But what the regionalists really
want Is to revert to the old system of
military alliances and to reduce the
League of Nations to mere debating
society. And the anti-Leaguers will
win-for the time being. In the mean
time, these events have been jam" for
the fighting services and the arma-
ment industries in all countries.
Brittania Still Rules.
The most extraordinary stories have
been put about regarding the alleged
weakness of the League powers. In
one of the great debates in the House
of Commons last month, when the
real change in British policy was dis
cussed, MIR. Lloyd George publicly re-
peated the rumor that the British bat
tie fleet had been short Of big-gun am
munition at the time of the so-called
crisis last Fall which resulted in the
production of the Hoare-Laval peace
plan. The rumor was in circulation in
many of the worlds capitals at that
time and since. It Is almost unbe-
lievable to any one who knows the
organization of the British fleet.
The excuse for this and other defects
in British armaments is that the Brit
ish Labor party has refused to vote
the money. Even If that were true,
there is no validity in such an excuse,
because for the last five years Messrs.
Baldwin and Ramsay Macdonald have
dominated governments with very
large majorities over the Labor party
in both house of the Legislature.
However this may be, the impress
sion has been created that British
armaments generally are in a weak
state, and now the heads of the fight
ing services can get practically any
supplies Of money they like.
There is some controversy as to the
relative merits Of aircraft and large
battleships. Just in order to make
sure, the British are building both.
Other extensive defense plans are
under way, or rumored. While this
mood lasts in Europe there is little
hope of any alienation Of the financial
burden of armaments; and the mu-
nition-making industry is booming.
There are solid reasons for caution,
II Is true. In the past the British could
rely on the protection Of an over