Evening star., 1938-03-06
Trend to 4>Power Pact Stirs
Hope for Arms Conference
With Most Pressing Political Questions Out of Wav,
Prospects for Limitation Appear Brighter
Than for Many Months.

tive OF Spain. Whether Mussolini will
agree to dismantle some Of the fortifica-
tions in the Dodecanese Islands, at Pan
teler1a and in Sardinia is matter which
only the future will decide. Reports from
London indicate that II Duce might agree
to such step 'in principle"
The negotiations with Germany are
somewhat more delicate. The British gov
eminent has given its blessing to the Nazi-
fication of Austria and Czechoslovakia.
Central and Southeastern Europe have
always been considered troublesome spots,
and neither the United Kingdom nor the
dominions are prepared to fight their bat
ties. Though Russian-G German war Is
regarded in London as undesirable, the
realists are cognizant of the fact that such
conflict would, in the end, play into the
hands OF Great Britain because both Ger
many and Russia would emerge so weak
ened that Great Britain would once more
hold the balance Of power in Europe.
The question of the return of the colonies
Is, however, another matter. Premier
Chamberlain has made up his mind since
Lord Halifax's return from Berlin to yield
to Hitler. He is ready to return some
colonies to Germany-as few as possible
but he wants in exchange definite assur-
ances that Germany will be satisfied with
whatever Britain offers her. He wants
Hitler to consider the return Of some COL
onies as symbol rather than q prac-
tical business proposition.
EIlt the rnOSf {ror>oStov ~op1a
whole situation is the prospect of a four
power agreement between Great Britain,
France, Italy and Germany along the
lines Of the deceased Locarno pact-an
agreement based on realities and not on
false hopes, in which the four partners
consider themselves equal in every respect
On the basis Of that agreement, according
tion of arms conference might be called
with more than fair chance to succeed.
Political Problems Ignored.
All previous disarmament conferences
have failed because the participants would
not take into consideration the existing
political problems between the various
states.
The French welcomed limitation of arms
conferences, but insisted that Germany
could not have an army equal to that of
France. No naval conference was ever
fully successful because the French would
not yield to the Italians the right to parity.
Behind all the hagglings and bargainings
lay political motive. France wanted to
keep Germany shackled to the terms OF
the Versailles treaty. while she herself
ignored the provisions dealing with her
own reduction of ornaments. Mussolini
had ambitions" in the Mediterranean basin
and needed a navy at least equal to that
of the French.
Mussolinis ambitions have been partly
fulfilled; henceforth it Is obvious that the
French cannot revive the Versailles treaty
even at the price of q new war; Nobody
thinks seriously of opposing the pacific
Nazif1cation of Central and Southeastern
Europe. When the colonial question is
settled, there will be little left unfulfilled
of the program outlined by Hitler in Mein
Kampf. The question of q war against
the Soviets remains open, but If Russia
continues on her present course there may
be no need for such action on the part
Of the Reich.
Under these circumstances, with the most
pressing political problems out of the way.
the prospects of limitation of arms con-
ference appear brighter than in many
months in the past. Washington is look
ing hopefully toward settlement OF Eu-
ropes problems, which may have unex-
pected and far-reaching results. 1t does
not yet dare hope too much. Things may
change overnight. But it sees in the British
"capitulation" a healthy sign; for the
present the dictators Will shout victory,
but at the same time they may be brought
into healthier sphere in which military
and economic disarmament will no longer
be pious expressions.
(copyrisht, 1881