The Wanganui Chronicle FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, 1938. NEW MOVES IN DIPLOMACY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 23, 28 January 1938, Page 6

The Wanganui Chronicle FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, 1938. NEW MOVES IN DIPLOMACY

NEVILLE CHAMBERLAIN is initiating- new moves in the

diplomatic game by calling a conference of the major Western Powers in June of this year.

The movement has for its objective the completion of present rearmament programmes and then their cessation, and also for steps to be taken to ensure a period of peace for a term of twenty years.

The pronouncement that this conference will be called would not have been made without the ground having been first sounded to see whether the invitations would be acceptable to the Powers concerned. This sounding has evidently been done by M. Van Zeeland, the banker ex-Premier of Belgium, and by Lord Halifax in his recent visit to Berlin.

The promise of success lays in the timing of such an effort and, as far as can be seen, the effort has been well timed, on this occasion. Dictatorships depend upon accomplishment because dictators claim to be able to do for other people better than those people can do for themselves. Up to now both Signor Mussolini and Herr Hitler have been able to fascinate and distract their respective peoples with accomplishments of various kinds. Fundamentally, however, their regimes have been but one big gamble. The sands of time arc running against them.

Germany is faced with a decline in the economy of the country which may be temporary, but doesn’t look like it. Italy is faced with an acute situation in her finances, and her trade generally. For both countries the future is more than uncertain, and each regime is compelled to face the facts that it has no alternative but to enforce on its people a measure of economic restriction which is only comparable to a period of intensive war activity. It would be tempting the Fates too much to go on in the present direction, for it would lead to intensive internal discontent which would eventually break out into overt rebellion, or sueh a 'situation would have io be escaped from by engaging in a foreign war. Neither country could so engage in a war with any hope of ultimate success. A military victory may possibly be achieved, but the aftermath of the war would be only an aggravation of the situation as it exists to-day. In truth, war offers no real escape to the downfall of the dictatorships.

With their chances of success waning if left to themselves, the two disturbers of the European peace are in a more receptive mood than they have been for some years past. They have been playing a Micawberlike game in that they have “been waiting for something to turn up,” but that something docs not appear likely to turn up at a convenient moment, unless the call to the conference is to be so regarded.

The real problem which confronts the statesmen of Europe is how to provide Germany, Italy and Poland with what they need, without sueh provision being regarded by the peoples of the countries concerned as the rewards of recalcitrant conduct. Further, financial aid will have to bo given to these countries, but it will also be necessary to ensure that such aid shall not be used to increase the armaments burden which is imposed on the world.

The problems which will confront the proposed conference in June will be difficult indeed, but they will not be insourmountable, and it is to be hoped that in the period prior to the conference opening the trend of world event l : will be. in a helpful direction.