Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1936-04-26
Eden Faces Realities
His Spurs Pee-But He His Ideals Through
the Storm of Europes Crise
BY Lord

their own men as foreign secretary; but when 1t
came to the choice. they favored Hoare as against
Eden. The next year, however, Prime Minister
Baldwin had his way. Last June Anthony Eden
was admitted to the cabinet as the holder OF
specially created post-minister for League of
Nations affairs.
The foreign Office now had two heads, Hoare
and Eden. It was Eden who was the boldest and
most energetic in urging sanctions against Italy
when that nation went to war against Abyssinia
It was Eden who voiced the views of the great
pacifst and anti-war movement at Geneva. 1t
was Eden who by so doing turned over the very
large peace and religious vote in Britain to the
Conservative cause in the general election of last
October. BY this time Sir Samuel Hoare, with
the aid of the powerful permanent civil service
head of the foreign Office, Sir Robert Vansittart,
was quietly preparing the end of sanctions and
League of Nations action against Italy through
a compromised peace.
When, the election safely over the Hoare-
Laval proposals for ending the at the ex-
pense of Abyssinia were published, it was Eden
who was sent to Geneva to save the situation.
But Eden was privy to the Hoare-Laval plan
in weighing his future chances of success or
otherwise, this fact should be known Indeed
the whole cabinet had approved this apparent
betrayal of the principle of collective security
and the League of Nations. section of the
cabinet soon revolted; but their revolt was stimu-
lated by an intense outburst of popular indigna-
ton in the country Eden was not one of the
revOlverS. He waited to see which way the cat
would jump; and when Sir Samuel Hoare fell.
after much hesitation and log rolling Eden took
his place.
The choice was Stanley Baldwins alone. 1t is
known that when Sir Austen Chamberlain, with
great influence in the Conservative party, an elder
statesman and highly successful foreign minister
in his time went to Baldwin prior to the
appointment the prime minister did not even ask
his advice. BY so doing he created political and
personal enemy in Sir Austen Chamberlain; and
day he will pay the price
In the meantime, Eden received his seals of
Office and reached a position of tremendous
responsibility at a most critical period OF the
worlds history.
And what now?
How has he acquitted himself since he became
foreign minister? The real author Of the Hoare-
Laval plan was Sir Robert Vansittart. Sir Robert
is man of very strong character. Despite rumors
to the contrary. he has remained at the foreign
office; and Mr.. Eden as foreign minister has been
a different man at Geneva from Mr. Eden as
minister for League Of Nations affairs. The moral
indignation. the burning sense of justice against
Italy-this has given way to caution, compromise,
delay. The sanctions have not been frightened up,
the war goes on. Excuses are found for not apply
important supplies of metals are not cut Off The
economic siege as Mussolini describes 1t, remains
half-hearted affair.
Then last month, on March T. Herr Hitler
startled the world and alarmed the Begians and
French by reoccupying the Rhineland. And now
the roles between the French and British foreign
ministers were reversed. 1t the French who
wanted sanctions now-this time against Ger
many. 1t the British foreign minister who
pleaded caution: but it was the British foreign
minister who proposed that the sanctions-s suffering
soldiers of Italy should march into the frontier
districts of the German Rhineland, shoulder to
shoulder with the British troops as the buffer or
occupying force. 1t was Eden who, if Monsieur
Flandin of France and Foreign Minister iceland
of Belgium are speaking the truth, offered a
military alliance against Germany. The rising
tide of popular indignation in England is gather
ing force once more.
The supervising troops, army Of occupation,
proposal had no chance of acceptance by Herr
Hitler and his government And it was jeered
out of court by British public opinion.
There is very great uneasiness in Britain against
the proposal for military alliances with France,
Belgium and Italy against Germany. venture to
prophesy that this will not be acceptable to the
British nation; and it is certainly not acceptable
to the self-governing British Dominions. The
utmost that British public opinion will tolerate is
the adherence to our obligations under the existing
Covenant of the League of Nations 1t is also
hoped that Germany will return to the League
of Nations, accepting the obligations and limta-
tons of membership That, repeat, is as far as
the British will 60.
Eden may weather the storm. or he may not.
He can afford to wait; he has brilliant qualities
and liberal. even radical ideas. He has tact and
patience. But has ne the necessary strength of
character?
Time alone will show.
He may not be strong enough to stand up to
the old-war influence of the permanent foreign
office officials; but he certainly has vision and his
mental makeup is quite unlike that of the old
orthodox Conservatives
He might even join the. Labor party; or he
might help to form middle party, with the
progressive Conservatives and the remnants of the
Liberals. Yet far he has disappointed the great
masses of British opinion which hate war and
desire peace and which hitherto had regarded
him as their spokesman and their inspiration.