The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1936-03-05
GT0N. D. {.

Ill 10TH. Dul lct iiot thC ANSt s"As
the alignment differs only because
of Italy's position be minimized. 1t
is the most important of the combi-
nation that has developed in Europe.
The new situation, insofar as
Great Britain is concerned, means
that in case of a
France Backs clash in the Nee
Rr;fo;n iterranean be-
tween the forces
of Mussolini and the British there
will he French support. 1t means.
therefore, that Mussolini hardly dare
disturb the concentration of Brit
ish warships around the Suez. To
do so would call down upon his head
not only the shells of the British
fleet but those of the French as
we'll. +
For the French, the revived I'M
derstanding with Great Britain
gives support against the slow flow
of Hitler lava into the Rhineland
which was demilitarized by the
Treaty of Versailles at the end of
the World war. The French are
very touchy about the Rhineland
and any attempt by Germany to
fortify the territory makes French
nerves very jittery. 1t is only nat
ural, then, that the French look
upon the agreement with London
as an assurance Of security in
event Hitler should strike In the
Rhineland.s If
Through 1t all, foreign advices in
dictate that British fists are gradu-
ally being doubled up against Hit
Ter. This is true Notwithstanding
the fact that the new King Edward
VIII is trying to be friendly with
Germany. Foreign dispatches and
private advices explain that there
is notable recurrence among the
British of discussion recalling Ger
man atrocities in the World war.
Slowly but surely throughout Eng
land the old hatred is arising.
On the northern frontier of Ger
many there is new line of steel.
The Communistic state of Russia
looks with disfavor upon the Nazi.
My information Is that 1t would
take very little to provoke trouble
there. .....-z.s. .z>~ = Il
Altogether, the situation Is one
where. If q stone rolls down noun
tain side, it could very easily be-
come the detonation cap that would
explode an ammunition dump.
With these facts in mind, one
can understand readily the gravity
of the relations between the Unit
ed States and the rest of the world.
One can understand as well why
congress was rather anxious to
avoid legislation of a broader scope
in international affairs than al
ready was operative. Yet, this does
not alter the fact that If congress
had no intention of establishing q
/! real neutrality policy, it should not
have embarked on a course de.
signed to that end. It was either
engaging in q game Of fooling the
public a year ago or It has just
now demonstrated most cowardly
attitude.
Now to get back home, we OBJ
serve a maneuver by President
Roosevelt to linl
Ro0seUelfs North and South
Mdneuver American nations
| into a new agree
ment. While none of our officials
will say that this move has any
connection with European develop
ment, 1 believe that observers gen
orally are Of the opinion that it has
an important bearing on the stu
alton beyond the Atlantic. 1t ought
to be helpful in keeping the United
States out of that mess or, If the
future forces US into 1t and, In the
meantime, there Is sound ar
rangement worked out between ma
tons of the western hemisphere
their combined strength ought tt
| put an end to European strife more
! quickly than If those European ma
tons were left to fight it out alone
In other words, II Mr.. Roosevelt
can work out binding agreement
between all the nations of the west
ern hemisphere, they can exert {
tremendous influence. ~
This influence will carry further
than ON the homeland Of any of the
countries now involved in the Euro
pean case of filters. 1t possibl!
may extend to the point of becom
ing the balance of power in the set
Element of colonial disputes be
tween the central powers and tn,
newly re-established allies. Euro
| pean interests in South America
are important and If our Soutf
American neighbors have the. i'm
portant weight of the United State!
on their side, they will be in pc
sitiOn, for the first time. to fore,
proper adjustment of colonial right:
in the western hemisphc insofar
as those colonial rights are con
cerned in settlemc-.t of European