The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-10-15

1 already challenged in the Balkans by Italy. Her Other Ally Bothers
 But more seriously, 1t came when Russia, Frances new ally east Of Germany, was complicating the sit- uation by demanding an end of the agreement for non-intervention in the Spanish civil war unless alleged aid to the Spanish insur- gents by Italy, Germany and Port ugal were stopped. This treaty was negotiated at Frances inSiStence, because the government believed the fascist powers were arming the m- surgents and feared that an inter national clash might result. Frances relations with Russia have not been bettered by the fail ure of French delegates at London to support Russia in its charges against the fascist powers. Now its treaty with Belgium seems doomed.
 Spanish War Complicates
 Further, the Spanish fascists seem certain to win the civil war. Spain is on Frances southwestern from tier. The nationalist leaders are indebted deeply to the fascist coun- tries; they are fascists themselves and they will be expected to align on the rightist side = and France must send soldiers to guard the frontier, soldiers needed for the Rhine.
 Italy is on the southeast frontier - an Italy alienated by the League of Nations penalties in the Ethio- plan crisis, an Italy that frankly hates Russia, Frances ally, an Italy that is seeking friendship with Germany.
 May Extend Her Forts Speculation started this morning on the likelihood that the great Maginot Qualifications, extending now only as far as the Belgian from tier, must be extended to the sea
 Even if this is not necessary, there will be no more close laison between the Belgian and French general Staffs, and if Germany at- tackled through Belgium, plans would have to be improvised.
 Commentators are not bitter against Belgium, but blame France herself and her foreign policy. They herself and her foreign policy. They attribute Belgium's switch partly to the weakness shown when Ger many remilitarized herself and later reoccupied the Rhineland, to the belief that Frances relations with all her enighbors had weak end, to the alliance with communist Russia.
 Failure of League
 Another possible factor was the refusal of the powers to use the League of Nations for the purpose for which it was formed - an hon. est, forceful promise to aid each other against an aggressor. The leagues complete failure in the Ethiopian situation left small na- tions nothing to hope for. Belgium is only one of several that are re- arming to keep invaders away from their own frontiers, content to let the big powers fight out any war. Belgium'S Decision Brussels, October IS. = (UP) = Beligum has decided to withdraw from the maelstrom of European politics and rely upon bigger army to protect her against another dis aster such as Germany's sudden march across her peaceful fields Tn August, 1914.
 King Leopold, outlining his coun- try's new policy of strict neutrality and isolation, told his ministers that Germany's re-occupation of the Rhineland practically puts us back where we were before the great war.
 The country's geographical posi- tion (between France and Ger many, he said, makes 1t impera- tive for us to maintain a military machine of such size as to disSuade any neighbor from using our terri tory to attack another state." Since the end of the World War Belgium has been tied to France by a military alliance.
 Time Has Come, Said King Calling attention to the re-mili- tarization of Germany, Italy and Soviet Russia, the king told his ministers that the time had come when even pacific, neutral coun- tries like his own, Switzerland and Holland were forced to arm to pro- tect themselves. AS a result, the period of Belgian military service was extended from 12 to IS months. Political observers believed that Belgium's abandonment of her mili- tary alliance with France, made in 1921, was prompted by Paris fail- ure to act decisively when Germany reoccupied the Rhineland in viola tion of the Versailles treaty. Also, the French governments swing toward the left politically has not been popular in Beligum which is essentially conservative.
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