Aug, 18
Of the Jarge amount of kite-flying, that has been indulged in during the past few months over the European crisis, not the east interesting are the two suggestions that the Danzig issue could be settled by a conference of Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Poland—very' much the case of the proposed victim being consulted as to its eventual fate,—and the later one that there should be 'a thirty day truce while the first four Powers should confer in an attempt to solve the Danzig question, and that any agreement which they reached would be submitted to Poland, and, if that issue could thus be successfully disposed then the truce might be prolonged to allow further problems in suspense to be discussed. With regard to the first suggestion the parenthetical observation made above is probably sufficient comment; the Second is the more ingenious and, therefore, more subtle. It is reported to have origin fated in the conversations between Herr von Ribbentrop and Count Ciano and to have been communicated to the Pope. It will not do. It fails to take account of the very definite hardening of opinion amongst the democracies, which has taken place since the betrayal at Munich, and has about it so much of the Munich formula that it is surprising that the statesmen could not have devised some better scheme, for this one, even to the most superficial observer, follows sd much along the lines of ast year that it would seem that the two men are becoming bankrupt of ideas. Set out in all its nakedness it means this;—the four great Powers shall negotiate an agree ment as to the fate of Danzig, and. shall present it to Poland for her' acceptance. Germany has made it absolutely plain that no settlement other than the incorporation the Free City into the Reich will satisfy her." There is consequently no room for compromise, and all that the plan seeks to effect, is to persuade Great Britain and France to come into line, whereupon the proposed settlement would be presented to Poland, and if she refused to accept it, her guarantors would be relieved of their obligations to her.
It is all just so simple as that, and is de signed for the purpose of giving Great Britain and France a way out, should the disciples of appeasement still prevail in the governments of those two countries, The tragedy of the whole business is 10 be found the fact that German and Italian leaders still fail to understand that, when the British Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary announced that the day of appeasement had Past, they really meant what they were saying. Herr von Ribbentrop, whose propheey last year that Great Britain would hot fight was fulfilled, is apparently still convinced that there is the same reluctance Hatred of war exists just as bitterly Britain as it does in other European counties, but hatred of aggression is as strong, if not stronger today, and there is very tittle doubt that if in the light of sutuie developments Mr. Chamberlain wei to seek to revert to the policy of last year, perfectly justifiable in the light of all the circumstances as it was then, there is very little likelihood indeed that he would be able to retain office. There ure times when the force of public opinion is stronger that Ministers themselves, and if any scheme led
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.