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Show Nationalism Creates European Crisis MwmnW ' b'Uj pSBKtAU.MWiWl-UIlllSLSJI'll'1 KWSWWBWfHPeBWB , r Si . f : .. v-,: mwwwwbwbw iiiiiiinrwiiii. numum m i w-oriw?atLrMw-4Uiaaas&j xWllll n Haiti 6 i..-.. ..A.aA,Wv.-,J',, W",,?,!,,,-,- ' . WVh mWt Above: Here are four figures who will have plenty to do with maintaining world peace. Left to right; Haille Selassie, Ethiopia; Pierre Laval, France; Anthony Eden, Great Britain, and Benito Mussolini, Italy. Below: A light artillery unit in Germany's new conscription army, during maneuvers. By WILLIAM C. UTLEY RADIO, flying, moving pictures, pic-tures, telephone, fast steamships, steam-ships, swift railroads and all those other marvels of our present age have made the entire world as small as was eastern Europe, say, 150 years ago. But human nature has changed little, lit-tle, and since pride in his country Is still one of the most outstanding aspects of human nature, the nationalism na-tionalism of Individual nations still maintains a higli pitch which obtained ob-tained to it a century aud a half ago. But where 150 years ago travel and communication were so slow that the nationalism of individual countries Irritated only that of countries whose borders coincided with their own, today we find an entire world beset by fears of great wars, and nations arming frantically fran-tically against one another. Especially is this true of Europe, Eu-rope, where there are many countries, coun-tries, most of them as small as their own national jealousies, and each trying to live to the full measure meas-ure of what its own people believe to be Its rights. Behind the present tension is the struggle of one of the most proud of nations to regain Its pride through armament to the level of the other European nations na-tions with which it was once on a par. Following the failure of the Paris peace conference and the rejection of the League of Nations by the United States, France was forced to the alternative of forming an alliance al-liance with the Little Entente and Poland to keep Germany cowed Into submission to the terms of the Versailles treaty. The Washington treaty was supposed to bring peace and armament understanding in the Pacific and Far East Now Germany, as it Inevitably must, has recovered enough strength to declare for herself how much arms she needs for protection, has Junked the Versailles treaty and Is rapidly arming. Japan has violated the 5:5:3 naval ratios and has Invaded China. There is universal armament arma-ment and the world talk of war. Two Alternatives. Europe seems to be torn between a return to a military alliance between be-tween France, Russia, Italy and Great Britain to keep Germany In line, or a three power "Lhcarno" treaty between Germany, France and Great Britain, ensuring that peace shall be maintained through the League of Nations, or some modification of the league. The first alliance would simply recreate re-create the situation which brought about the World war, except that Japan, fearing Russia, would be more likely to line up with Germany Ger-many than the "Allies." The second sec-ond agreement would leave Germany, Ger-many, considerably rearmed, with eastern Europe before her, and would In all probability lend to n war between Germany and Soviet Russia. Into the already tense situation has suddenly been thrown the Italian Ital-ian Invasion of Ethiopia. Tn the old days this would have been countenanced coun-tenanced simply as a bit of colonizing, col-onizing, and everybody was doing It. Rut today it Is generally regarded re-garded as out and out aggression, and, therefore in violation of both the covenant of the league (since Italy has refused to submit her case to arbitration) and the Kellogg pact. If France, Great Britain and other member nations refuse to close the Suez canal or otherwise save Ethiopia Ethi-opia from the Italians it will be not because they cannot, but because they will not The League of Nations was of course formed to preserve. In large measure, the political slate of Europe Eu-rope In 1010. The result was Inevitable. In-evitable. The nations which were satisfied with this arrangement have become the chief supporters of the league. Those which benefited from the agreements of 1919 have formed coalitions both inside and outside the league, forcing those which did not act more or less on their own. Germany has already withdrawn from the league, and Italy threatens threat-ens if the league Interferes with her African policy although it must be admitted that Italy certainly gained more than she lost, if indeed she lost anything by the 1919 pacts. The league has, even so, been of more benefit in Europe than elsewhere. else-where. It handled the Snar plebiscite plebi-scite with admitted efficiency. It handled the Balkan case in a satisfactory sat-isfactory way. Fear Characterizes French. As to the attitude of the principal princi-pal league powers on the continent, that of France is still created by the German problem which overshadows everything else. But France has within her own boundaries bound-aries a political struggle which may affect her attitude sooner or later; there are movements, especially among the youth, against the parliamentary par-liamentary republican form of government; gov-ernment; and crying for much greater great-er concentration of authority. There are definite Fascistic trends. The French press and the French foreign office has educated the people peo-ple to the fact that the Reich is standing today on the threshold of complete bankruptcy, financial and economic. The reason for this is that the wheels of German industry indus-try which have been humming so loudly for years, have been bumming bum-ming in the manufacture of arms ana not of goods to be sold. The time cannot be put off much longer, says the French government to its people, when Germany will be faced with doing one of two things: Using Us-ing these gigantic war supplies in an aggressive war, or giving up to a complete collapse which will mean good-by to national socialism. There can be no doubt about what the Nazi choice will be, says France. There are in France many who believe that she should prevent such a war by starting one against Germany Ger-many herself before Germany had a chance to arm to the limit of her schedule, but the consensus Is that it is hardly likely France would ever engage in such a war. Efforts of the Reich to form a peace pact with France have fallen down, and France has entered Into a pact with Russia, a step aimed only at Germany. There Is little likelihood that this agreement will cause any great stress in Internationa Interna-tiona relations for the simple reason rea-son that it is everywhere recognized recog-nized as a negative agreement, which France entered into only to keep Germany from being first to ally herself with Russia. A similar alliance has been entered en-tered into with Poland and the three countries of the Little Entente Czechoslovakia, Rumania and Yugoslavia. Yugo-slavia. Of course, so many nlli-ances nlli-ances have the difficulty of meaning mean-ing that France is likely to get involved in-volved in almost any war in Europe. Eu-rope. Fear has been the theme of the entire French foreign policy. After Pierre Laval's visit to Rome In January, it is believed that even the present Italo-Ethiopian situation arose out of French fear, for It Is hardly possible that Mussolini would have embarked on so aggressive and obnoxious a venture unless he were reasonably certain of French assent. as-sent. Italy Set on War. More than anything else, France realizes that alignment with Great Britain is necessary to protect her against Germany, and she Is there-fore there-fore nnlikely to do anything which will Ei-riously disturb Franco-British relations. Italy seems to be the only nation na-tion who has her heart set upon war and that Is not a European war. She has only one Idea In-mind In-mind the conquest of Ethiopia, and probably nothing can prevent, the war In Africa. Since the failure of Mussolini's. Four-Power pact, which was de- p y signed to make the four great Eu- " ropean nations France, Great Britain, Brit-ain, Germany and Italy agree to-' force the others to maintain the-peace the-peace in Europe, Italy has minimized mini-mized In its press every act of the-league. the-league. She has shown her 111 humor hu-mor with the league by militarizing-consistently militarizing-consistently and completely over the past few years. Italy's single purpose today Is territorial ter-ritorial expansion through a protectorate pro-tectorate over Ethiopia, for she-must she-must have more room for her people. peo-ple. With respect to European affairs, af-fairs, she will fight to maintain the-status the-status quo. She would like, of course, to reach some sort of on agreement with Germany, because the African campaign, when and if it starts In earnest, will weaken Italy on the north. Italy will continue to attempt: friendly relations with the Little-Enteute, Little-Enteute, with Yugoslavia in particular. partic-ular. The only real uncertainty la her foreign relations is Austria, for Germany may attempt a revival of the "Anschluss." Italian military-maneuvers military-maneuvers along the Austrian frontier fron-tier will be Increased. Through all this it may be seem that Italy's policy is maintenance-of maintenance-of the status quo, with plenty of military power In reserve should that policy fail. Germany Wants No War. As far as Germany is concerned, a war seems to be out of the question, ques-tion, at least for the present. It would be too heavy in cost to. a nation na-tion which Is just beginning a program pro-gram of conscription and of building build-ing up military reserves. Germany has honestly sought an understanding understand-ing with France and honestly desires de-sires one. She views France with-concern with-concern only because of the Franco-Russian Franco-Russian pacts and the Franco-Polish Franco-Polish pacts. German relations with Soviet Russia leave much to be desired. Hitler having made peace offerings-to offerings-to every important European nation except Russia. Nazi dislike for Bolshevism may appear to be a reason rea-son on the surface, but more probable prob-able Is the competition for Influence-in Influence-in the Baltic states. Germany is set upon building a navy to operate in the Baltic sea, so It may be seen that she is not to be left holding the bag In affairs of eastern Europe. Eu-rope. Germany and Poland have their ten-year pact signed in 1934, aimed principally at Russia. Hitler is not going to forget about his Interests in Austria; more of this, as has-been has-been said before, may be heard when Italian strength on the northern north-ern frontier is weakened by the expedition ex-pedition into Ethiopia. At any rate, Germany is likely to be the last na- 1 tion In Europe to enter a war, in t . the opinion of students of Interna- ' tlonal affairs. Russia, who has been steadily arming for several years, until today to-day she possesses one of the greatest great-est of all military machines. Is definitely defi-nitely for the status quo. Her vast land has more than enough natural resources for its people. She Is building a new nation, in a way of speaking, and a war would seriously serious-ly upset her schedule. For this reason, Russia has been one of the leaders in efforts for coI-"r lective security In Europe. But she has not hidden her belief that It Is Germany who will topple the equilibrium equi-librium of Europe since the war and that the Italian movements In Africa will affect the situatiou. Woatern Newspaper Union. |