Evening star., 1933-03-19
Europe Now Charged
With Fears of War
BY A. G. GARDINER.

LONDON, March 18.-Never since
1918 has the atmosphere Of Europe
been so charged with fears of war as
now. The main cause Of anxiety is the
dramatic emergence Of belligerent
Germany.
Germany is now completely under the
domination Of miitarist influences
which, having violently suppressed all
the moderating elements of the country,
confront Europe in a wholly changed
attitude of mind. The rattle of the
Prussian saber has terrorized all in
ternal opposition into covering silence
and resurrected militaristic Germany
stands before the world with mcmsnt-
GUS challenge.
News and comment on the situation
here are Of the gloomiest character.
The idea that President Won Hindtn-
burg. through Franz Won Papen and the
Nationalists, could control the uprising
NaZi power is now seen to be entirely il
lusory. The alarm of Won Papen at the
startling developments-aS the ruthless
persecution of Jews, who are fleeing in
all directions; suppression of the So
cialists and Communists, closing down
Of newspapers, and even an iron hand
against the Catholic Center party-is
rejected in guarded protests by the
Deutsche Allgemeine Zeitung, which is
the last newspaper left in Germany that
dares to suggest criticism of the Hitler
regime.
But Won Papen no longer counts.
Nazi power Is out of control 1t is a
question whether the sweep Of the
movement has not passed beyond Hitler
into the reckless and irresponsible con-
troll Of Capt. Goehring and the frenzied
inspiration of Dr. Gcebbells.
The London Daily Telegrarhs senSa-
tional story of conspiracy on the part
of Goehring forcibly to seize and dispose
President Won Hindenburg-a conspiracy
defeated by the mobilization of the
Nationalist Stahlhelmers around the
President at a critical moments not
discredited by the best informed Ger
man opinion. Whether the Nazi move
ment contains elements of cohesion Is
doubted, and the view is widely held
that a breach between Hitler and
Goehring is probable, but it is agreed
that in such case GoehIing would be
master of the situation.
1t is natural that with Germany in
this explosive condition, alarm should
be felt all over Europe. At any moment
a spark from the firebrands may fall in
the powder magazine Of the continent.
Disgusting incidents have already oc-
CURED in the demilitarized zone of the
Rhineland, but especial anxiety is felt
in regard to the possibility of a COL
lision in. the Polish Corridor. which is
the subject Of most passionate resent
ment on the part Of the Prussian
people, resentment aggravated by the
precautionary measures which Poland is
alleged to have taken in the neighbor-
hood of Danzig. In the event Of a
conflict on the Polish frontier, French
action is inevitable and, though under
the Locarno treaty Great Britain is not
committed to Intervention, it is impos-
sible to forecast the limits Of combus-
ton when once the guns have gone of
X
With the menace of war in the air
strong pressure is being brought by the
churches and other organizations to in
duce the British government to adopt
an absolute non-interventionist policy,
In this connection, the Overwhelming
decision of the oxford Union not to
fight for King and country under any
circumstances-an example followed by
several other universities significant
of the mind Of the country. Whether
i this attitude would survive the test oi
actual war Is doubtful, but it Is certain
that the present temper Of the country
is fiercely opposed to being drawn into
the maelstrom again.
The repercussions of events In Ger
! many upon the European outlook have
| been disastrous. Those events have
fallen like wet blanket on the embers
Of the Disarmament Conference. whose
| prolonged failure to reach an agreement
| to disarm is one Of the prime causes OF
the triumph Of the militarist spirit ir
Germany. Indeed, David Lloyd George
! t.E week declared that the allies. BY
failing to fulfill their undertaking tt
disarm, had driven Germany to an ag.
gressive military dictatorship; and the
most striking passage Of Premier Mac.
Donald's speech Thursday at Genevs
was that In which he said "if Germany
Is not given justice and freedom, al
Europe will risk destruction"
In the present atmosphere only modi.
ned hopes are entertained in regard II
acceptance Of the British disarmament
plan and the harvesting of reol result,
at Geneva, and the fact that the Peri
press Is highly suspicious of Premie
MacDonald's visit to Premier Mussolin
does not improve the outlook.
oopyyieht. 108aA