Evening star., 1936-05-31


the humiliation of impotence
Are those members OF the
League of Nations who are profess
sedly loyal to its covenant ready to
follow all the implications Of their
commitments? In the existing temper
OF the world and with the existing
membership of the League, are its
members really prepared for the pos
sibility of war with an aggressor. even
If war should be limited to the ag-
gressor?
"I doubt If even our own people.
the great majority of whom are en-
Enthusiastically in support Of the
League, have yet thought out what
its obligations may involve. In the
last resort what are they prepared to
fight for?"
So spake the Archbishop Of Canter-
bury. the Most Rev. Cosmo G. Lang,
primate of England, to the church
council called in convocation at
Canterbury on Wednesday,. All
Europe is listening for the answer.
For, as reported here, the key to the
present world labyrinth lies in Great
Britain.
The situation in Britain merits the
closest study. In the first place,
Great Britain, unlike most of Europe,
is booming. The Sheffield steel In
dustries have had their best year since
1917. improvement is steady, the ex-
port balance is more favorable than
before, the automobile, silks and
chemical industries and the railways
are humming.
London Like a Carnival.
London seems like carnival. Res
taurants, hotels, theaters are jammed,
prices are rising, much money is in
evidence, and even unemployment is
slowly dropping. The Queen Mary,
built and launched by public funds, is
a fitting symbol of the British rebound
prosperity.
The result, however, is that whereas
many peoples are exasperated to the
point of seeking. even the maddest
changes, the British people wish at all
costs to enjoy their riches in peace.
Despite much talk Of communism and
labor threats, there is general social
peace and tendency of workmen to
desert the Labor party for the Con-
servatives as soon as they get jobs.
Therefore, the vast majority of the
English simply cannot or will not give
attention to the threats against Brit
ish prestige, the British Empire, and
in the long run British wealth and
power inherent in continuing to allow
dynamic Fascist states like Germany,
Italy and Japan slowly to expand.
This-this alone-accounts for the
amazing indifference and apparent
reticence of the British public in the
race of overt challenge for their eager
ness to be convinced that the German
tiger is really harmless bullock.
Foreign Office Informed.
For the British foreign office knows
the facts perfectly and weighs the
dangers and responsibilities with great
accuracy, But the British cabinet
does not make the foreign office data
available to the British public simply
because 1t realizes that it would be
unpopular-as divulging bad news al
ways is.
So while Europe trembles and waits
for a nemesis, the British 60 more or
less TRANQUILITY about their pleasures,
sport. movies and snobbery.
Why does not the cabinet trumpet
from the housetops what the foreign
Office knows about German, Italian
and japanese intentions? Because the
cabinet is divided as with knife, and
Is the weakest In British history.
Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden,
Alfred Duff Cooper, secretary of war;
william ormsby- Gore, newly appoint
ed colonial secretary, and viscount
Halifax, lord privy seal, are pro-League,
anti-Fascist, suspicious Of Germany
and italy, and ready for the continu-
ance Of the enforcement Of sanctions
against the latter even to the point Of
war If necessary.