Evening star., 1937-10-14
D|PL0MATSDRAFT
9-POWER ACENDA
Plans Being Laid Here and
in Europe for Session
at Brussels.
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.


High of1cials Of the State Depart
ment and American diplomats in Eu-
rope are working on the asenda and
other plans for the Brussels meeting
Of the nations signatories Of the nine
power pact.
Whether Japan will participate at
that meeting is for the time being
unknown here. 1t appears that Toxic
is of two minds regarding this ques-
ton.
The Japanese government might
consider. it is reported from Toxic.
to send delegation or order some of
the diplomats stationed In Europe to
the meeting provided it has some con-
crete assurances that the conference
will not have as a major purpose the
railroading of Japan into some i'm
possible and undignifed" situation.
The other signatories are no longer
very hopeful over the probable results
Of the conference.
Provides Only for Consultation.
The nine-power pact in itself pro-
vides for consultation among the sig
natiories only. What steps might be
taken after this consultation has
taken place-depends entirely on how
far the other nations would like to go
in order to force one of them to live
up to the agreement to maintain and
preserve China's territorial integrity"
Soon after the Chicago speech of
President Roosevelt and the stern
note" sent to Rome by France and
Great Britain regarding the with
drawal of volunteers from Spain it
looked as if the signatories of the nine
power pact would not only consult but
would put some teeth in that agree
ment.
In certain diplomatic quarters in
Washington 1t was thought that the
"end Of Americas isolationism" would
duly impress the dictators and make
them run for shelter.
Events during the last few days
showed, however, that the world de-
mocracies have taken the wish as
being father to the thought.
Instead of becoming panicky about
this new injection of the United States
In world affairs, the dictators took a
philosophical view of the whole mat
ter and decided to stick by each other
and await further developments.
Fireworks Threatened.
Mussolini rejected bluntly the
British-French note and sent un-
official warnings that unless those
two countries behaved there may be
some unexpected fireworks either in
the Mediterranean or in North Africa.
Hitler more openly threw his weight
behind the Italian dictator, thus punc-
turing the inspired" reports pub
lished in the French and the British
press that the Rome-Berlin axis was
weakening and that the talks between
Mussolini and Hitler had caused little
satisfaction to II Duce.
Japan was treasured by Berlin and
Rome that it will not be left to hold
the bag alone in the Far East.
In the meantime the London and
the Paris foreign offices got of their
high horse and moderated their Ian
guage toward Rome While last week
and early this week inspired reports
indicated that Italy would be threat
ened with dire consequences in the
event she did not comply with the
wishes OF the British and the French
cabinet. in the last 48 hours there
has been 4 marked change of tone
from Downing street and the Quai
d'Orsay. The new attitude adopted
by the two democratic governments
is "let's try and get Mussolini to be
reasonable"
President Roosevelt himself in his
fireside chat Tuesday night indicated
that peace in the Far East should be
brought about by agreement. OF
| course, he and his advisers know
that only one kind of an agreement
will settle the Far Eastern question
as far as Toxic is concerned, the COM
plete and unequivocal capitulation of
the Marking government.
This moderate attitude of the demo-
cratic governments indicates that the
Brussels parley, unless some totally
unforeseen developments take place,
will be just another conference where
the delegates will make inspiring
speeches, pass moderately condemna-
tory resolutions, and adjourn sine die
after final succulent banquet.