If Mr. Eden's admirably balanced statement in the House of
Commons on. Monday brought some relief to the tension, his experiences in Paris on Tuesday quickly dispelled any idea that the French were disposed to put conciliation in the foreground. It is hard to blame them. Over the Soviet Pact, which Herr Hitler cites as the excuse- for his action, they have been scrupulously correct from start to finish. and Germany alone is respon- sible for the fact that it has become a bilateral agreement and not a multilateral treaty with Germany included in it. If the French have their way all negotiations with Germany on Herr Hitler's larger programme will be refused unless the troops are withdrawn from the Rhine- land. In that event things will remain as they arc, except that Germany will by her own act have converted Locarno into an instrument which unites Britain, France and Belgium, with or without Italy. against her, and no longer gives her protection against them. But that portends war sooner or later. and if the French get their way and impose economic sanctions it may be sooner. The re- sponsibility for saving the world from that disaster lies primarily on British statesmen. Their task is of extra- ordinary delicacy, for the cause of peace will not be served by any weak condonation of Germany's action or any illusions about the value to be set on her word in the future. But the essential is to get discussion started on Herr Hitler's positive proposals. In spite of all the dark omens it seems likely that it will be. To get. the conversations, and the League Council meeting, moved from Paris, with its characteristic atmosphere, to London is a good beginning.
