Ramsay, War & Benito

INTERNATIONAL

Ramsay, War & Benito

We can turn the tide of fear which is rushing in increased volume down the high channels of history at this moment.

--James Ramsay MacDonald (March 1933)

With observers in nearly every capital last week stressing the menace of today's little wars* and the danger of another conflict between Great Powers, sturdy, Scottish indomitable James Ramsay MacDonald decided that the time had come for drastic efforts. Taking with him his Foreign Secretary (Sir John Simon) and an impressive retinue, the Prime Minister appeared at Geneva in the full panoply of the BRITISH EMPIRE. On his way through Paris he failed to persuade French Premier Edouard Daladier to come along --but soon after Mr. MacDonald's arrival in Geneva, M. Daladier changed his mind. In Paris at 9 p. m. the Premier told the Press that he would not go to Geneva. By 10 p. m. wheels were turning under him, the locomotive chuffing, snorting, thundering off into the night with the Premier of the FRENCH REPUBLIC.

"Justice or Destruction!" Apple-cheeked Miss Ishbel MacDonald was at her father's side to keep him in the pink. Geneva cynics remarked that he had come to face "the most skeptical audience in the world," the Disarmament Conference (TIME, Feb. 8, 1932 et seq.). Admittedly one of the world's greatest orators, Prime Minister MacDonald was never greater than last week. In his speech, which lasted an hour and 20 minutes, he ran the gamut from threats to wheedling, from sarcasm to good cheer--all with Scotch power and dignity.

"Either Germany is given justice and freedom or Europe will risk destruction!" threatened Prime Minister MacDonald at his friend Premier Daladier. He explained that he quoted this threat from another "friend of mine whom I hold in the highest esteem"--apparently trie German delegate, Rudolf Nafolny.

Wheedling, Mr. MacDonald called for "revision" of the Treaty of Versailles "not at the point of the bayonet, but at the point of reason."

Decrying the Disarmament Conference's 13 months of shilly-shallying, he cried, "You have done jolly little! . . . Come on--get away from all these feminine follies. Get down to business! [Remember] you are not manikins--you are men!"

With good cheer the Prime Minister slapped down before the Conference a specific British Plan of some 10,000 words, urged its broad acceptance, and concluded with the ringing words: "Our children will not think of the difficulties that beset us during the last year; they will only praise us for the successes that attended our efforts and the glory that belongs--that then belonged--to the Disarmament Conference and its members in

1933!"

British Plan. In its 10,000 words the British Plan, submitted in the form of a draft treaty of 96 articles, proposes: P:To establish parity in home effectives (soldiers under arms) among France, Germany, Italy and Poland on the basis of 200,000 soldiers each. This would mean doubling the present German Army, cutting down the others. As Colonial powers, France and Italy would have in addition respectively 200,000 and 50,000 "Colonial troops." Russia, as the world's largest country, would have under the British Plan 500,000 troops, representing a cut of 62,000 below present Red Army strength. P:To limit mobile land guns to a bore of 105 millimetres (4 inches) "for the future"--existing guns up to 155 millimetres (6 inches) to be retained, larger guns scrapped.

P:To limit coast defense guns to 406 millimetres (16 inches), "the size of the largest naval gun."

P:To limit tanks to 16 tons each (largest present tanks weigh 81 tons). P:To destroy all prohibited armaments within three years after the coming into force of the treaty which would run for five years.

P:To destroy enough military airplanes so that Six Great Powers (France, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Russia and the U. S.) would stand on a basis of parity with 500 each.*

P:To provide that a breach of the Kellogg-Briand Peace Pact "is a matter of interest to all parties . . . and . . . that in the event of a breach or the threat of a breach of the Pact there is to be a conference between the parties if any five of them, including one at least of the Great Powers, so request."

P:Totally to prohibit chemical, bacterial and incendiary warfare. Moreover, "bombing from the air would be completely prohibited, except for police purposes in certain outlying regions."

On to Rome! Prime Minister MacDonald, in a bold effort to forestall criticism of his plan, cried before he laid it on Geneva's table, "Likely as soon as you see it, you will look at me with flashing enmity in your eyes! I will bear it--because

I know that when you have slept over it three or four days, when we meet I will see a very great change in your eye and your demeanor!"

During the next three days Scot MacDonald & entourage paid a spectacular swooping visit to Rome--Dictator Mussolini being probably the only person who might be able to win Dictator Hitler over to the British plan. Traveling on a special Italian train, the British party were startled near Arquata Scrivia when the electric engine got tangled up in the overhead wires, tore down 500 yards of them. Rushing to the rescue, an Italian steam locomotive tugged the MacDonald train to Genoa where Air Minister General Italo Balbo waited at the controls of a big trimotored Italian seaplane. Flanked by nine escort planes, they darted toward Ostia (the seaplane port of Rome). In top hat, morning coat and carrying a cane. Il Duce peered skyward as Scot MacDonald, hatless and tousle-haired, waved from the alighting seaplane.

"Did you enjoy the flight?" asked Premier Mussolini while roses were showered on the Prime Minister & Daughter.

"Delightful!" cried Mr. MacDonald clasping Signer Mussolini's hand for the first time in his life.

For the next two days Il Duce spared only an hour or two at a time for his British guests, busily pursued his working routine, addressed the Italian Chamber. The Britons, left comparatively to themselves (except at meal times when they were feted lavishly by the King, Queen & Dictator), seemed to enjoy Rome enormously--especially the ruins. Sunday morning before 9 a. m. Scot MacDonald was seen prowling in the Forum. In order to keep up the banquets it was necessary to censor out of all Italian papers the fact that His Serene Highness the Duke of the Abruzzi had just died in Africa; otherwise the Italian Court would have had to go into mourning. Finally

Il Duce, after calling in the French & German Ambassadors, announced HIS PLAN. (He also announced that he accepted in principle and with reservations not specified last week Mr. MacDonald's Plan.)

The Mussolini Plan which Italians hoped will be embodied in a four-power "Treaty of Rome" between Italy, Britain, France and Germany was kept dark last week except for the hint that it is to be a Peace Pact stronger than the Briand-Kellogg flimsy--but not rough.

"We do not desire to impose any decisions on other nations," said Signer Mussolini and Mr. MacDonald uttered exactly the same words. "We seek only to induce others to cooperate in establishing peace in Europe for at least one generation." This, if it can be done, will indeed be an achievement. As the Britishers' train pulled out of Rome, Ishbel MacDonald clutched a bouquet of roses given her by Dictator Mussolini, waved & waved & waved.

Rushing on to Paris, Scot MacDonald prepared for a final conference with French Premier Edouard Daladier who had previously admitted to Paris newshawks that he simply had no idea what Mussolini & MacDonald were up to. The state of mind in which Prime Minister MacDonald left Rome was exhibited when he cried: "We want a peace consummated by those whose nations are in a position to disturb it! I tell you we must act quickly but not be overhasty!"

To Frenchmen the entire performance of the week was "just what one might expect of Englishmen and Italians!" None the less Premier Daladier shared the contagious feeling in Europe last week that SOMETHING MUST BE DONE. He gave correspondents to understand that what he will do will be to propose very soon that the French Chamber vote to pay the $19,261,432 France has owed the U. S. since last Dec. 15.

*Such as the undeclared but bloody wars between Japan & China, Bolivia & Paraguay, Peru & Colombia. *Latest figures for the military plane strength of the Six: France, 2,375; U. S., 1,752; Japan, 1,639; Italy, 1,507; Great Britain, 1,434; Russia, 750.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.