EUROPE AGOG

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 6, 6 July 1935, Page 21

EUROPE AGOG

EffVAL- WAR PLANS

FRANCO-RUSSIAN PACT

Aga.ln nothing seems to have happened -io arrest what has been characterised as the "galloping deterioration" that h.ss recently afflicted European relations. Yet the fact is that rarely have thie European chancelleries been busier, i The results are another matter, writes Frederick T. Birchall from Berlin to the "New York Times." Any attempt to define and evaluate what hiis been going on must start from the premise that it is war preparation i rather than peace promotion that has "occupied the diplomats. This may be ultimately in the interests of peace because with everybody, prepared anji nation that deliberately sets a match 'to the tinder so plentifully overspreading Europe at present must surely bei adjudged insane. Unfortunately it is not deliberateness as much as some !»udden incident that is' likely to provide the spark that will set Europe aflame. From thus starting point an outstanding event has been that after endless backing and filling the Franco-Russian pact of nsutual assistance has been drawn up and signed. NOT AN EASY TASK-. It has not been easy. The problem has been to effectuate what was nothing less thiin a military alliance within the framework of the covenant of the League; of Nations, which forbids such allianicies. It has therefore been what in this phraseology of Geneva is called "a problem offHrafting." Apart from this there was the difficulty of equality in commitments between countries rendered by geographical conditiphs wholly unequal in their opportunities for giving assistance. Between Fraitice and Germany—and Germany was the only "enemy" envisaged in .these negotiations—is a wideopen garte. On the other hand, nowhere are the German and Russian borders contiguous. A violation, of French territory by German troops or of German territory by French trctops could be accomplished in a matter of hours. It would be a week at least under the most favourable conditions, and in the present state of RussiEUi transportation it might easily be a .month, before Russian forces could aid the French. " , In any case.y how could the Russian forces reach Germany? Through Poland—thus providing Germany with an immediate ally of no mean strength? Moreover. \ the problem is one of "immediate" \ assistance because the worst menace' ', of aggression is now aerial. Russia ' has no large cities in immediate danger from German aeroplanes in cas& ;of aggression. France has at least a; <score, with Paris, the greatest and miost vulnerable target on the Continents An almost insignificant air attack upori a Russian settlement of comparatively small importance might leave France pledged to immediate mobilisation and an attack upon Germany. ■■.'■■ "AUTOMATMC" ASSISTANCE. Russia wanted much—"automatic" assistance in cEise of need without waiting for the Tueague Council to pronounce upon the aggression committed; a huge loan 'to make the Russian railways capable'; of transporting the needed assistance 1 when needed—these demands are certttin. It is certain also that she did notj and could not get them in full. Apparently she has been content to take what the French Cabinet was willing tq give. Outside of this i one achievement, progress towards j European stabilisation is still in thel realm of polemics. Adolf Hitler's brief May Day speech to the snow-flakedl ranks of German labour told nothirigi The British House of Commons debate upon the startling revelations of actvially superior German air strength ai id approaching German naval equality revealed concrete plans to meet neither peril. And German re-armament steadily proceeds at a pace only indica ted when the curtain of secrecy suritounding it is momentarily lifted, as in the case of the air force revelation und the submarine plans. ' i All that the Germ an public are permitted to know about these matters is that the British hatve. become comically disturbed abouit a rumour that Germany may shorter turn out twelve small submarines—lees than two for each of the severfl se as, German commentators point out—vvhereas they received with comparative equanimity the announcement of the forthcoming German army of thiitty-sirf divisions, leaving that for the Hrench to worry about. NEW BARRACKS. The German public "see new barracks building all over, the land and hear of reserve officer js being tallied in readiness to train toe new army, but all that is for, the\ future. It is some months until October, when these plans will come to., a he ad. In the meantime expectation hangs upon Herr Hitler's forthcoming pronouncement on foreign policy, vaguely set as due within the next fortnight. The outside world expeclts it to define once and for all the German position upon collective security and the pacts whereby it is hoped to at tain the same end, and its attitude towiard Geneva. It is more likely, however, to concern itself more with denunciation of the past rather than pledges for the future, if the , tone of inspired commentaries such as the Foreign Officers' "Diplomatische Korrespc mdenz" are c I any guide., This organ of \official opinf ion is concerned chiefly to lay. the ;' blame for the present diplomatic una rest upon anything but the German activities that have prod'ticed it. l" "Re-arming activities everywhere," it n laments, "have produced a highly und satisfactory atmosphere. The foreign r Press unhappily gives <more cone sideration to discussions of military measures and re-arming policies than 2 to the problem of internat tonal settle- )• ment and co-operation. s "This tendency has even increasingly noticeable in tbie proceedil ings of .the British House of?. Commons, c which was once recognised as an ex2. alted parliamentary forum. ' The "Diplomatische Korrcs^pondenz" y still hopes that enough wiSl remain y in the way of "positive" material from h the Stresa talks to pick up the broken ;e threads of further negotiation*. In other c. words, the German hope a ppears to ■c be to keep the talkfest gcung until h Germany's full strength is achieved o- and she is in a position to make her i, weight felt and attain her ful I desires, ts which are now so discreetly vjeiled.

A nation-wide appeal is beiiig made in France for funds to defray the cost of the colossal statue of Britannia which is to be erected by France at Boulogne in commemoration of the landing there of the British .Expeditionary Force in 1914.