Wairarapa Times-Age TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 1938. SEEKING PEACE IN EUROPE.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 April 1938, Page 6

Wairarapa Times-Age TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 1938. SEEKING PEACE IN EUROPE.

A.CCORDING to an unofficial anticipation of the British Prime Minister’s intended next move in foreign policy, cabled from London at the end of last week, it is understood that Mr Chamberlain “is preparing a drive for a Four Power Pact, to which Russia will later be invited to adhere.” It was suggested that in this way there would be established the nucleus of “a purely European League of Nations, with sub-sections to deal, with west and eastern Europe” and also that Mr Chamberlain desires to clear up outstanding differences with Germany and to reach an agreement on non-aggression. A world trade conference to discuss the stimulation, of international revival was still another aim attributed to the British Prime Minister. So far as the last-mentioned proposal is concerned there is a growing appreciation in a. good many countries of the desirability of modifying the existing obstacles to international trade, but. international economic conferences, of which there have been many throughout the post-war period, have usually found themselves confronted by such a bewildering tangle of problems that they have been able to accomplish little of practical value. It. seems rather unlikely that an astute politician like Mr Chamberlain will invite another disappointment of this kind. The idea of a simplified approach to a peaceful settlement in Europe by way of a pact or pacts between a limited number of nations is, of course, not new, but has already been tried out extensively and on the whole with poor results. In the existing state of Europe there is little enough to encourage further experiments of a similar kind. It is true that the present constitution of the Leagued of Nations has been attacked on the ground, that it imposes much wider and mpre onerous obligations than most nations', even if they are generally loyal to the principles on which the League is based, are willing to accept. An agreement between the principal. European nations to observe and respect declared principles of law in their dealings with one another would have undoubted value if it could be depended upon, but even in seeking a limited understanding of this nature the apparently overwhelming difficulty appears that the nations now menacing peace in Europe have established the practice of honouring treaty , obligations only while it suits their interest or convenience to do so. A Four Power Paet at. the present stage would include, in Germany and Italy, nations' which have trampled ruthlessly on treaties and international agreements and are doing so today. Both nations are now engaged in what may amount to rounding off an invasion and conquest of Spain, while they are at the same time parties to international proceedings ostensibly aiming at nonintervention in that country. In word and deed, Herr Hitler and Signor Mussolini have set themselves in direct opposition to the League of Nations and to all principles of international organisation for peace and of collective security. If Britain is able to add to her agreement with (Italy a similar agreement with Germany; and then, with France, to bring these nations into a Four Power Pact, which may be extended ultimately into a Five Power Pact, including Russia, it will still remain, to be considered whether the total achievement is of any value.

If Italy and Germany could be relied upon to keep international faith, the best contribution that could be made to European peace would be to seek an understanding with them under which they would rejoin the- League of Nations. The rejection by the Fascist Powers of the principles of non-aggression and of collective security seems to make any limited understanding with them worth very little indeed. If the British Prime -Minister’s aims in foreign policy are at all correctly indicated, it must be supposed that he is basing- his hopes of a European settlement chiefly on the extent to which a rearmed Britain, in conjunction with France, may be able to compel Germany and Italy to perceive and recognise the wisdom and necessity of setting- limits to their predatory designs.