Evening star., 1933-09-03
EUROPEAN MISTRUST AIDS
GERMANS BID FOR POWER
Nazi Conquest of Austria May End
Rome's Dream, Drive France
Into Its Borders.

combination. On the contrary. it is
difficult to escape the conviction that
continental hegemony would be the
prize of Hitler'S Germany.
Only the renaissance of Russia as
really great power could conceivably
set limit to German supremacy, were
the program of the NaZis in Central
Europe actually realized. and of such
a renaissance there is today little prom
ise Enthusiastically Moscow has f1aired
the peril of the Nazi program and made
its sensational change in foreign pol
icy, renouncing the German aSSocia-
tion of Rapello and seeking arrange
ments alike in Paris and in London.
But as military power Soviet Russia
would hardly prove dangerous foe OF
a greater Germany ruling from the
Baltic to the Leitha and allied with
Hungary into the bargain.
Can such an eventual German expan-
sion be arrested? The question is of
course. unanswerable, since it involves
mere speculation. yet 1t must be pei
ceived that on the surface, at least,
Germany has now as good chance
to succeed as her natural opponents.
They are divided and mutually distrust-
full. Moreover both in Britain and
France there is an evident. II not ac
tually dominating. conviction that the
immediate dangers Of a new general
war are greater than the eventual men
ace of German domination in Gen.
trail Europe.
Domino ton Looms.
In any event it is for Americans to
recognize that what is going on in Eu-
rope now is tremendous and dramatic
struggle, provoked by the new rise OF
German nationalism, and that vic
tory for the Reich of Hitler, which is
far from improbable, would not only
mean the Transformation of the polit-
ical system on the Continent, but al
most inescapably long period Of Teu-
tonic domination.
German weakness, too. does not lie
SO much in the opposition from the
great and small powers of the Conti-
nent as in the domestic economic sit
uation If the Nazis cannot restore
prosperity. they will eventually succumb
to the violence provoked by a misery
which must become intolerable They
have all power, they have destroyed the
opposition, but they have no new re-
sources to combat an economic pros
tration, which was one of the chief
causes of the downfall of the republic
In fact. the Nazi situation is much
worse than that of the Weimar regime,
because persecution of the Jews has
precipitated costly boycotts. which are.
in part, participated in by Labor and
Liberal elements everywhere. On the
financial side they cannot reckon upon
obtaining any fresh loans, while de-
fault upon old engagements Is bound
to provoke reprisals. Shipping and
tourist trades are visibly hard hit. and
exports continue to show no sign of
pny,f 1,i1a rjc
of imports has practically abolished the
small favorable balance
For the moment the nations menaced
by German plans. and notably those in
cluded in the French combination. are
apparently willing to let events follow
their natural course, believing that Ger
man recovery on the economic side
must be SO slow as to preclude any sue
cessful political adventure abroad. BIZ.
patiently the situation is full of dyna-
mite. and one notes in the comments OF
continental statesmen and journalists
alike a fresh recurrence Of talk Of
preventive war
One thing is plain-that whereas
few months ago the majority of the
French people were opposed to all Ger
man adventures. recent events have
greatly increased French apprehension
and strengthened the hands Of those
who advocate drastic action. But the
spectacle OF the Italians trying to ex-
plot the German situation. while 1t has
aroused French indignation has dis
closed the practical impossibility of
joint action. Moreover. British readi-
ness to let Rome try to carry the bur-
den has similarly discouraged Paris.
In the end, it would seem. one of two
things must happen-either the eco
nomic weakness of Germany will pro-
duce new domestic upheaval. which,
in the nature Of things would be Com
munistic, or economic recovery will so
strengthen the German hand that only
preventive war can halt the NaZis in
their purpose to annex Austria, absorb
CzechoSlovakia, recover the lost East
ern territories and in alliance with
Hungary. establish continental hege-
mony without parallel since the days of
Napoleon.
Economically the odds are against
the Germans at the moment, but po-
litically their chance seems good. But
the simple fact that for Italy. Czecho-
slovakia and Poland Immediately and
for France indirectly, Nazi success con-
stitutes deadly threat must serve to
warn those who believe that peace in
Europe IS more than precarious or dis
armament anything but an empty illu-
sion. In reality. as we approach the
f1ftsenth anniversary of the armiStice
not only Is German victory still posi-
BILE, but in every form save that of mill
tary operations the great war con-
tinues to rage.
Copyright. 1881