Evening star., 1939-08-01
Crisis Preventive

Prime Minister Chamberlain fear
expressed to the House of Commons
yesterday, that the world armaments
race can be resolved only "by war
ITSELF was blunt expression of the
terrifying thought which runs
through most of the world. He was
projecting the real peril inherent in
every crisis wherever it occurs, the
peril of easy resort to the loaded
pistol.
Yet, perhaps subconsciously, Mr..
Chamberlain embedded his pessim-
ism in broad expression of foreign
policy which gives more real cause
for optimism than anything he has
done since he started in March to
build the anti-aggression front with
Frances Premier Edouard Daladier.
His announcement that Great
Britain and France are sending mill
tary missions to Russia, probably this
week, for staff talks with Soviet
army chiefs measurably reduces the
danger of the resort to arms he
fears, in spite of the vast accumula-
ton of weapons. and mobilization of
men among the great powers and
their satellites
The Importance of this decision
can scarcely be overestimated. Dur
ing the months Of dragging discus
Sions hope that the alliance would
ever be accomplished often sank low.
At times statesmen despaired of sue
cess, and Mr.. Chamberlain himself
was accused of insincerity of pur-
pose and deliberate sabotage of
prospects for an alliance. Whatever
ground there may have been for
such criticism is swept away now by
the willingness to bridge the chasm
between the democracies and Soviet
Russia with practical steps toward
military cooperation.
The staff conferences in Moscow
will serve two vital purposes Of world
peace. First, as an earnest of the
democracies' sincerity in seeking
Russia'S support against future ag-
gression, they bring the alliance a
long step closer, for the Soviet mill
tary chiefs will be provided with ac-
curate information as to Anglo
French preparedness to act if aggres-
sion occurs.
Second, the conferences will throw
a temporary bridge across the gap
which separates Britain and France
from Russia, facilitating speedy,
united action if a new crisis occurs
before the alliance is signed and
sealed During the next two months
this ability to meet threats with a
united front will be all-important.
Whatever pessimism was generated
by the resumption of German-Rus-
sian trade negotiations last week
should be counteracted by the mill
tary discussions, and no illusions
should be held that Russia will be
permitted to drift into the German
camp without every effort being
made to prevent such a move.
Although both Britain and France
should get fairly accurate idea Of
the state of Russian military pre-
paredness from the conversations,
assurances from the two democracies
are of greater Importance to Russia,
for the most likely theater of any
new German thrust is toward the
east, in the direction of the Soviet
Union.
AS long as the Moscow negotiations
continue there is the framework for
an agreement which might be i'm
mediately crystallized if, as expected,
Herr Hitler starts the ball rolling to-
ward a new objective in coming
weeks. The likelihood of his doing
so is diminished, however, by the
clear warning he now receives that
the two democracies and the Com
munist state are prepared to act to-
gether regardless Of political alliance.
The forward steps taken by the
British Prime Minister on the eve Of
a possibly tense August are potent