Evening star., 1936-11-22
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.

)OLONIAL possessions and q
more equitable division of the
supply of raw materials be-
tween those who "have" and
those who have not" again is one
Of the principal topics of conversa-
tion among the chancelleries in
Europe. The State Department in
Washington is listening in"-an in
tereSted listener, but for the time
being silent as to its own thoughts.
Europe is desperately clinging to
the last hope for preserving peace, this
hope is President Franklin D. Roose-
welt. And since American diplomats
have indicated clearly that the Presi-
dent Of the United States would not
be willing to chance success, Europe
wants to be sufficiently prepared to
submit to the White House some con-
crete results as soon as President
Roosevelt returns from Buenos Aires.
To that end Downing Street and the
Quai d'Orsay have begun conversations
which they hope will iron out the
principal difficulties which another in
ternational gathering will inevitably
encounter.
One Of these problems Is the colonial
question. The German government
last August made definite suggestion
to the British government, when it in
dicated that the best solution for a
settlement Of the colonial problem
would be the cession to Germany Of a
- sfota WI from T liberia
to the French Congo. The suggestion
was repeated by DR.. Schacht to Pre-
mier Blum in Paris last August and
was coolly received by both the British
and the French governments. But this
mere suggestion was food for thought
for those capitals which let 1t be known
indirectly in Berlin that they would
be willing to consider some sort OF
discussion regarding the colonial prob
lem, provided Germany and Italy en-
tered into negotiations for the revival
Of the Locarno agreement.
This Hitler and Mussolini turned
down. That is to say, they replied
they would be willing to enter into
reciprocal non-aggression agreements
covering only Western Europe. And
the conversations stopped at that.
Hull Becomes Interested.
But the German suggestion for a
colonial settlement eventually perco-
lated to Washington. Secretary Cor
dell Hull became interested in the
principle of it. He agreed it was not
fair that the entire supply of raw ma
terials of the world should be in the
hands of three nations alone-Great
Britain, France and the United States.
He indicated that some way might be
found whereby these three nations
would pool their resources and give
access to them to the "have-nots."
In this manner, thought the Secre-
tary Of State, the "have-nots" would
have all the raw materials they need
to keep their industrial machinery
going, and at the same time there
would be no need for territorial
changes.
The ideas Of Mr.. Hull were con-
veyed through various channels to
Berlin and Rome. There was an en-
phatic mo" from Berlin.
The negative reply Of the Germans
Is understandable and logical. The
Secretary of State is thinking in Amer
lean terms He sometimes fails to
grasp the intense rivalries and jeal-
ousies not only in the political, but
in the economic field as well, between
the European nations. An arrange
ment such as he suggests might be
possible among the nations of the
two Americas, but could not exist
between European nations.
The Germans are suspicious lest at
some given moment either France or
Great Britain should stop the supply
Of raw materials because Of certain
political or economic friction between
the Reich and either of the other two
nations. Even if the supplies were
not oficially stopped, Berlin says.
there are many other means whereby
the conveyance of the raw materials
from their source to German ports
could be so delayed as to cause ser
ious losses to German industry And
Berlin is not willing to take chance
now when Hitler and his collabora-
tors believe they have the whip hand
in Europe.
The Hull idea appealed to the Brit
fish and the French because it meant
the settlement Of Germany's colonial
ambitions without relinquishing foot
Of territory. But the stark reality
that some territorial sacrifices might
be necessary in order to give Germany
access to raw materials was forcefully
driven home by Baron Won Kibbentrop
soon after he presented his credentials
to King Edward VIII. He pounced