FOR THE PEACE OF EUROPE

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 112, 5 February 1935, Page 8

FOR THE PEACE OF EUROPE

Undoubtedly the most important result from the London conversations between the British and French representatives which have now terminated in an atmosphere of goodwill and unanimity is the agreement to submit to Germany proposals for an aerial pact extending the principle tif the Locarno Pact of mutual assistance against aggression. Military aviation has developed at such a pace that offensive and defensive strategy, formerly based on the two complementai y factors of land and sea forces, has given place to that which is now based upon land, sea, and air forces, with the last-named an unknown but admittedly tremendous factor in future warfare. Air raids into belligerent territory during the Great War were trifling affairs compared with attacks which are now possible by modern aircraft, and recent test manoeuvres over London and Paris have established the conclusion that so far the advantage is.with the attacking forces. The velocity with which an aggressor nation coulg launch an air offensive against its enemy makes it possible foi incalculable damage and loss to be done in the space of a few houis. The danger associated with this immense advantage to the offensive is that it may tempt an aggressive nation to act with undue precipitancy, thus greatly restricting the opportunities for negotiation. How to restrain this impulse is one of the questions to which the British and French representatives addressed themselves. The principle of the first Locarno Pact was that the signatories pledged themselves to act in concert against a disturber of the peace who committed aggression without recourse to negotiation. Britain s commitment in this connection has been frequently criticised on the ground that European entanglements are opposed to the sentiment oi tlie nation, and it is not surprising therefore to find that this new proposal for extending the Locarno principle has been accorded a ipixed reception. The Daily Express vigorously condemns it. Times supports it as an acceptable and prudent reinforcement of the principle of collective action. As the collective system has been publicly declared to be the essence of British foreign policy an aerial Locarno is manifestly a logical and necessary step in the furtherance of this principle of action. Whether it can be applied successfully depends upon Germany’s support, and it is becoming clearer every day that nothing can be expected from Germany in the way of international co-operation unless and until arms equality in principle and practice has been conceded to her by the rest of Europe.