Evening star., 1936-11-16
PERT|NAX WARNS
LEAGUE IS ONLY
WAR PREVENTIVE
Town Hall Told u. S. Should
Demur Until Ready
With Force.
COLLECTIVE ACTION
REAL NEED, HE SAYS
Famous Paris Editor First in List
of Notables to Address
Forum in Series.

>>~~ e%~<<No "a A@e2oPS fSoSS "a y
running out rapidly under the men
ace of war from Germany, Andre
Geraud. better known as Pertinax.
foreign editor and political CORES
pondent Of L'Echo de Paris, told
Town Hall last night.
The distinguished Frenchman was
the first of list Of notables who will
address the Washington forum in its
series Of lectures continuing through
next Spring.
His advice for America was not to
start new schemes for Europe unless
it is ready to back them up with
force.
He notes only one means by which
war can be avoided. and that is a
league of all nations to enforce peace
Collective assistance could really be
Of value today" he asserted.
Mr.. Geraud's pessimism arises from
the conviction that Germany, in re-
armament. will reach a peak of
strength next Summer or Fall, and
that 18 months later that strength
will be overshadowed by the rearma-
ment of England. Russia, Poland and
the Little Entente.
THE question is whether Adolf
Hitler will use his newly won power
before it is too late" he observed.
Opportunities Neglected.
Mr.. Geraud deplored the failure of
France to seize two recent opportuni-
ties for a preventive war, the Abys-
sinian campaign and Germanys re-
pudiation of the Locarno treaties in
remilitarization OF the Rhineland. and
attributed this neglect to the natural
paciflsm Of the French and British
people.
II was the failure Of League efforts
against Italy which opened the way
for the German initiative of March
Z last in the Locarno reputation, he
told his audience, and Frances failure
TO respond more promptly to Eng
lands efforts to apply League penal
ties to Italy he admitted was grave
error. ---
I'VE know now that II French
troops had been sent into the Rhine
land in March the Reichswehr had
been instructed to withdraw" he said.
Such was the opportunity that was
lost
Two alternatives were envisaged as
confronting France, either action
against Germany's Mitteleurope or
responsibility for destruction OF
Europes peace structure.
The possibility Of German war upon
Russia Is remote, the speaker declared,
and related the background Of Russo
German friendship from the treaty
of Rapallo in 1922 through the re-
newal of that treaty by Hitler in 1888
and the rupture of this relationship
by France in 1884 with the Franco
Soviet alliance. He justified this action
with the argument that the Russo
German combination is an extremely
explosive one.
Spanish War Significance.
The Spanish revolution was the sub
ject of a considerable portion OF the
address and subsequent panel discus
sion. M. Geraud took the position that
the rebellion and Russian policy may
destroy hopes for a league to enforce
peace.
Frances course to be followed with
respect to the revolution is clear" he
declared. "If We had sent arms to
Spain we would have lost British sup
port. Britain would have veered
around to Germany. She is favorable
to the Franco-Soviet pact, but would
not stand for revolution in Western
Europe"
M. Geraud. conservative in French
politics. paid tribute to Leon Blum,
Socialist premier. for his recognition
of this basic truth in Frances di-
plcmacy. French neutrality is Q
he added.
M. Geraud was quizzed by panel
of Constantine Brown. for
eign writer for The Evening Star; DR..
Grace H. Beardsley of Goucher Col
lege, Raymond Clapper, political COM
mentator for the Scripps- Howard
and DR.. E. A. Walsh, re-
gent of the Georgetown School of
Service.
Brown pointed out that Germany's
action in terminating the international
status of German rivers is q live
threat to Czechoslovakia which de-
oends upon the Elbe for its foreign
race.
IF Germany were to close the
Elbe," he said. "Czechoslovakia could
,e starved into submission"
DR.. Beardsley drew from the
speaker a denial that Premier Blum
had acted for non-intervention in the
spanish revolt to avert domestic diff
iculties.
Salvador de Madariaga, former
Spanish Ambassador to the United
States and France, who was to speak
aext Sunday night, will be unable to
appear, owing to his recent injury in
IN auto accident in London, and will
De replaced by Lord Marley, deputy
speaker Of the British House Of
Lords, who will speak on America
Ind the Pacific-Is the Future With
Japan?"
Wanderlusters to Meet.