Evening star., 1936-07-26


4 4 that the late Herr Won
Hoesch, popular and Anglophile Ger
man Ambassador in London. called
on the British foreign secretary and
with obvious embarrassment informed
him that German army was march
ing into the demilitarized zone of the
Rhine with the intention of reoccu-
pying it. Since then events have
crowded upon themselves thick and
fast. 1t may well be that last March
marked a turning point in world
history also.
The next important event was the
Unexpectedly early collapse of the
Abyssinian resistance to the italian
conquest. The third salient event of
Importance was the statement of a
new British policy toward the League
of Nations, symbolized in the League
decision, under British leadership, to
drop sanctions against Italy, the ag-
gressor.
These three events were closely re-
lated, and the third marks a definite
reorientation of British policy. 1t
will have profound effect on the at
titude and actions of every nation in
Europe, and its results will be felt all
over the world.
Those in the United States who have
been in favor of an American policy
of assistance in a cooperative effort
for the maintenance of world peace
will be discouraged. But this much
should be remembered: II the mat
ter were fairly put to the British cleo
torate there would be a clear major
ity for the Strengthening of the COL
lective system rather than for the new
policy of weakening this system and
thus weakening the League and all
other cooperative means of avertinp
war.
Anh-U. s. Feeling Dead.
The Baldwin government, which
espouses this new policy, may not last
very long: it already has shown ON
inous weakness in domestic policy.
There has been q grave loss Of moral
authority in the cabinet in several
important directions. Furthermore
the old anti-American feeling which
was so strong at one time in British
society and among the governing
classes has died away almost COM
pletely. Whatever else the British
executive steps which would be CAL
culated to ALLEVIATE American feeling.
Though the immediate policy for pre-
serving peace may be negative, no pos
itive policy which might adversely af-
feet Anglo-American relations will be
embarked upon.
If Europe is troubled, so Is the Pa
ciflc Ocean. There may be grave
events in Eastern Asia-partly a re-
percussion from the distractions of
Europe. The British foreign Office has
learned its lesson since Sir John Simon
was foreign minister and the Japanese
were allowed to make their first spring
forward in Manchuria. So far as con-
Germs the Pacific Ocean and its prob
lens, the closest cooperation will be
sought between London and Washing
ton.
So far as Europe is concerned, the
British government now in power Is
adverse to strengthening the League
of Nations, because this might cause
a conflict with resurgent Germany.
The policy prior to last June was to
face Germany with the threat of over
whelming force under the collective
system If she broke the peace. That
policy Is now abandoned.
The cause of the sea-change that
has been made in the British attitude
was not alarm at the further breach
Of the Treaty Of Versailles when Ger
many reoccupied the Rhinelands.
There have been other breaches of
the treaty, perhaps more important
as, for example, the German decision
to rearm, her defiant reintroduction Of
conscription, the building up of her
great air force. But the French de-
manded League of Nations action be-
cause the demilitarized zone had been
regarded as a special safeguard. The
British government Of the day was
to use the machinery of the
League of Nations against Germany.
The corollary Is the abandonment, SO
far as Britain is concerned, Of the
system Of collective security.
Back to 1914"
There have been protestations of
fidelity to the principles Of the League
on the part of the Prime Minister
Baldwin and Foreign Secretary Eden.
Even the leader of the anti-League
section Of the British government,
Neville Chamberlain, pays
lip service to this institution. But
what has happened Is that the British
foreign office, supported ~ the other
government Departments concerned