Evening star., 1938-05-01
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.

BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.
T UNLESS America joins in a four
power pact-under the camouflase
OF economic agreements-the
present British italian treaty and
the prospective French-I Italian pact will
have no more effect than the previous gen.
tlemens agreement which these three
powers have been repeatedly signing since
1885.
I'VE might try to get the United States
effectively interested in Europe" is the
watchword sent out from London and
Paris.
The French, better psychologists than
the British, are doing their work sub rosa
They realize that talking openly about a
pact in which the United States is to play
an important role would make the people
of this country balk.
The British, however, are openly advo-
eating collaboration. Banking on the
strong feeling for world peace in this
country they believe that if the American
people could be convinced that close COL
laboration-in the economic field aIlegedly
between the world democracies would re-
lieve the existing tension, they would not
put any obstacles in the way of the ad-
ninistration.
Both the French and the British have
concluded that the Rome Berlin axis can
be cut only If Mussolini can be shown that
the United States is in the British-French
camp. Under such circumstances Hitler.
too, might be cowed and be induced to Join
tne proposed group as partner in Mr..
Hulls reciprocal trade agreements, with
access to the raw materials of the world,
and abandon his present expansionist
movement. Thus, the World War which
started in 1885 with the conquest of
Ethiopia and which has been developing
since in Europe and the Far East, might
conceivably be stopped.
The administration in Washngton un-
certain as usual Of the countrys reactions,
is stepping cautiously on the path laid
down by the European democracies.
Displeasure at Dictators.
President Roosevelt and Secretary Hull
rarely miss single occasion to show their
displeasure at the methods and the actions
OF Messrs. Mussolini and Hitler. Even
when de facto situations are recognized
there is no shadow of doubt that such
recognitions are made with the utmost
reluctance. For instance, when the State
Department recognized the absorption of
Austria by the Reich, Mr.. Hull made a
statement which induced a totalitarian
diplomat to observe: the Secretary of
State accepted the accomplished fact with
the grace of little boy who was forced
into 1t by bully. He said yes and then
spit at the bully when he was at safe
distance"
But reasons of state frequently compel
leaders to swallow their natural antipa-
thies and do things they personally dis
like The reason of state for the admins
tration is no longer the much advertised
parallelism of interests with Great Britain.
but dovetailing of policies with the demo-
cratic countries If under the facade of re-
stored international economic relations this
country can get the European democracies
out Of hole, the administration will not
refuse such help That the policies of
Washington dovetail with those of London
is obvious.
For instance, at the time Eden was still
the white-haired boy of the State Depart
ment and even after his resignation the
administration came to the conclusion that
the neutrality act placing an embargo on
the export OF war materiel to Spain was
a mistake. Germany and Italy were more
than supporting Gen. Franco; they were
actually fighting his battle. movement
to reconsider the neutrality act was started
in the Senate at the bidding of the admin
istration. 1t met with the approval of
some Of the most important Senators from
both political parties. Yet, when the
British decided that Franco must not be
handicapped, administration support was
withdrawn.
The Italian-Britis Pact,
As soon as the Italo- British agreement
was signed, the administration was urged
to put the stamp of its approval on the
pact. Hitherto, the White House and the
State Department have refrained from any
comment on acts and treaties contracted
between European powers-if such treaties
had no direct bearing on our policies. The
only statement Washington newspaper men
were able to get was an of-the-record ex-
preston. "Europe's affairs are her own"
was the theme sung by our high officials.
Nevertheless few days after the sign
ing Of the Rome-London agreement, the
President hastened to express his salts
faction on the ground that anything tend
ing to clear up the international at
rnosphere is of interest to American citi-
zens. And fearing that the White House
reporters might neglect to ask Mr.. Roose-
velt what he thought about the new agree
ment, he read them penciled memo
randum which he had on his desk This
has been interpreted as a preparatory
gesture to the recognition OF the conquest
of Ethiopia by the Italians-an immense
aid to London in getting Geneva to do the
same. The American Government, which
both anticipated and followed the sane
Zionist policies Of the League Of Nations
in 1885 and adopted the appealing slogan
OF Never, never will this country recognize