Evening star., 1936-07-19
BERLIN AND ROME ACCORD
MAY INFLUENCE JAPANESE
Effect ON 'sHave-Not:' Nation i'm Far East
of ofAgreement of European Militarists
Weighed in Washington.

to Sofia for the same purpose.
Concessions Of Germany.
Because of its more restricted indus
trial activity, Italy has to be satisfied
with smaller slice of the Balkan melon.
Germany has conceded her a complete
ly free hand in Albania and in Hungary
and agreed to let Mussolini try his
luck In Rumania. although there the
pro-German feeling is gaining in
strength.
With these important matters tenn
porarily out of the way, the two FORE
most military powers are prepared to
present a common front at the forth
coming discussions for the stabiliza-
ton of peace and the organization OF
regional security agreements In Europe.
To the idealistic theories of the French
and British governments that peace
ought to be stabilized because it Is
needed by mankind and that the
existing treaties should be maintained
or changed only by common agree
ments resulting from protracted con-
ferences, Germany and Italy reply:
I'VE are stronger than you, but we
do not seek war. Let US have what
should be ours; let us share in the
wealth which you have appropriated
for yourselves when you were strongest,
and we shall gladly cooperate with
you. II you don't we will maintain
our freedom of action
Mussolini has shown in Ethiopia
what a nation in arms can do against
50 less prepared nations. With the
recent Danzig demonstration Hitler
has shown that he can build and put
out a fire whenever he likes. When
the president of the DanZig Senate.
DR.. Greiser, thumbed his nose at the
League of Nations. the So delegates
shuddered. 1t was not Greiser, but
Hitler himself who was Haunting the
League. And at the bidding of the
now cautious foreign secretary. An
thony Eden, the delegates got into
huddle and decided that Poland
should be entrusted with the settle
ment of the problem. 1t was only
right, Eden said. that the matter which
principally concerns Poland. Ger
many's neighbor, should be left to be
decided by the two nations. 1t would
be the first practical test of the new
theory of regional agreements which
the British want to put into force as
a substitute for the collective security
of the League.
Agreement Over Danzig.
What the League knew. without ad-
mittlng it, was that Poland and Ger
many some time ago had agreed that
Danzig should be allowed to have
Nazi rulers without the bothersome
interference of the League Of Nations
commissioner. But the general public
did not know it and the Danzig incl
dent took the proportions OF a major
calamity. The Reichsfuehrer, who
was able to show that it was within
his power to create and quiet incidents,
told his henchmen in the free city
the creation of President Wilson-to
make less noise and break loose from
the tutelage of Geneva some other
time.
The antics of the European powers
would be of only secondary interest
to the United States, if it were not
for the fact that in the Far East there
is another have not" power-Japan,
which is following with keen interest
the effects of the military dictator
ships on the democratic governments.
Japan, too. feels ill-treated and takes
by force what is not given her. Japan's
appetite for expansion is as keen as
that of Germany and Italy.
For the time being the relations
between the Nipponese empire and
the Reich are of the best. And Wash
ington is wondering what will be the
sequel to the next few months diplo-
matte chickering's. Will they result in
a complete breakdown of Europe's
peace organization or will they lead
to a more peaceful era? Japan is
watching with eagerness the develop
ments in the old world. Her own pol
icy is adjusted to that Of the have
nots" in Europe.
When the political barometer over
there indicates fair weather. the Toxic
militarists are less noisy. But when
the barometer is down, Japan's drums
beat furiously. The Japanese mill
tarists know that in the event of a
storm in Europe they can at least
count on the cooperation of Germany.
(Copyrisht 193o)