The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1937-01-06
SEE BRITISH
FOREIGN PLAN
AS DEFENSIVE
Sole Commitments Are to
France, Belgium; More
Arms, Isolation Goal
BY FREDERICK KUN
United Press Staff Correspondent


abroad. This position, moreover,
is virtually certain to be maintain.
ed for another year or two, while
the military an dpolitical chiefs,
aided by the nations industrialistS,
rush to completion their plans for
undermining and expanding the
air force, navy and army.
Until il is stronger, Britain will
continue to avoid embodiment
with any of the dynamci powers
Germany, Japan or ltaiy-with
which its interest may clash.
Symptomatic of thi sBritish at
titude are Anglo-Italian relations.
A year ago, Britain was leading
the punitive movement in Geneva
as the Italian invasion Of Ethiopia
moved relentlessly toward its tri-
umph.
The strength of the British fleet
in the Mediterranean was more
than doubled. Several hundred
British bombers and pursuit planes
were concentrated in Egypt, and
British troops hurried there to re-
inforce the garrison, ready to
repel any Italian attack on soil
which Britain owns or in which it
is vitality interested.
POLICY is SAFETY FIRST
When war with Italy was haunt
ing European statesmen, Britain
shrank from this catastronhic
means Of meeting the Italian chal-
lenge. And now Britain is carry
ing this safety-first policy an i'm
portant step further by negotiat.
ing q pact Of n0n-aggression and
friendship with Italy.
BY relieving the strain upon the
Mediterranean flank, Britain
hopes to be able more effectively
to cope with any threats to secur-
ity from other regions. AS long as
the British navy is preoccupied
with precautionary measures
against any Italian Entertainments
in the Mediterranean, Britain's de-
lenses in the North Sea and in the
Far East are bound to remain in
adequate. :.
Meanwhile, Britain has limited
military commitments abroad to
the narrowest possible area COM
patible with national safety. With
Unprecedented clarity and preci-
sion, the British government has
announced that il will 60 to war
only to help France or Belgium
rebuff an unprovoked attack OF to
shield the native soil itself.
BRITAIN STANDS ALOOF
Within the past year British
foreig npolicy has evolved from q
system of collective security, obi
gated by the league covenant to
rescue victims of aggression any
where, to an isolationism which is
prepare dto fight only to save the
integrity of the motherland and
empire. gu,
- Britain's resigned demeanor in
the face Of Germany's reoccupa-
ton of the Rhineland and of Ger
many's scrapping of the Versailles
treaty was a warning to all that
British force would not be used
for preventive purposes.
But British aioofness was even
more emphatically illustrated by
this country's 'standoffishness"
from Spain while other powers
have been using that country as a
battle-ground for their own inter-
national and class rivalries.
RED" SPAIN FEARED
If British imperial interests were
deemed to have been threatened
by Italy's conquest Of Ethiopia,
they were considered far more
grayely ieopardized by the thought
of foreign domination Of Spain or
Spanish dependencies. Visions OF
q "red" Spain stretching across
British empire routes caused rip
Piles of fear and anguish to run
along the conservative Briton's
spine.
To an equally large sector Of
British opinion, the prospect OF
Italian or German influence su-
preme in Spain was alarming.
Despite the failure Of non,inter-
yention in Spain, which Britain
espoused, and with foreign volun-
teers, foreign aircraft. guns and
munitions struggling for alien in
terests on the .Iberian peninsula,
Britain is more determined than
ever to avoid being scorched in
the embers of the Spanish ruins.
HANDS OFF IN FAR EAST
II Britain shrinks from entan-
element in the European mesh, 1t
draws back even more quickly
from involvement in Far Eastern
conflicts. Yet the "anti- Commun-
ist" pact concluded on November
25 between Germany and Japan
aroused British displeasure and
anxiety. 1t is still firmly believed
hers that the "anti-red' alliance
is merely the facade for politi-
cal and military entente. This
event has checked japanese efforts
TO improve relations with Britain
and British statesmen are increas-
ingly eager to cement this coun-
try's links with the United States.
The Franco British United
States monetary agreement, be-
sides its Importance to economic
stability, already has proved what
may be but the first gesture of
greater solidarity among the sur
viving world democracies. Para
doxieally, it may be the isolationist
mentalitv of each which finallv
binds Britain and the United
States more closely together tina