THE BALANCE IN EUROPE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 2 December 1930, Page 5

THE BALANCE IN EUROPE

A DANGEROUS DRIFT

"The overthrow of some Continental Power that has become dominant is usually followed by a fit of isolationism which lasts until some other dominant power arises and becomes a menace," writes Mr Norman Angell, in "Foreign Affairs." "For 400 years Britain has opposed the dominating power of the Continent (France is today more dominant than! ever Germany was) and overthrown it on behalf of 'the liberties of Europe/ 'the rights of small nations,' 'freedom,' the 'salvation of democracy,' or whatever the slogan of the particular war may be. It happens repeatedly, of course, that the nation to whose aid we come against the dominating tyrant becomes itself the dominating power by virtue of it's rivals overthrow. We fought Napoleonic Franco with the aid of Germans and Russians; later we fought Russia with the aid of France; then Germany with the aid of Russia and France. The mechanism of the 'balance' would normally so operate that we should next light France and her satellites with the aid of Germans—and Americans. To that indeed, J>il unconsciously but with appalling persistence, we now seem to be drifting. There is no more 'intention' of war on our part than there is on France's part. The intention is all against it. But if we add two to two it is apt to make four."