Evening star., 1934-02-25

Facism on the right and Communism
on the left, a democracy equally re-
moved from black reaction and red
revolution. To kill democracy as it
now has been killed necessarily leaves
only Communism to confront and
resist FaSciSm.
Thus while, on the surface, the
events in Vienna forecast an immedi-
ate conflict between France and her
allies on the one hand and Germany
on the other, with the course of
Britain and Italy obscure, beyond that
lies the prospect OF an eventual
struggle between Communism and
FacisTn. Such a struggle can, more
over, be enormously hastened by the
immediate consequences OF the i'm
pending clash between Germany and
France.
The resistance of the Socialists of
Vienna in its tragic futility in a sense
recalls the similarly forlorn and mo-
mentarily futile resistances OF the
Poles to their oppresSors in 1795 and
1888 There never was any hope and,
to the American mind, perhaps, there
was never any real justification for it.
tria had surrendered like their So
cialist and democratic brethren in
Germany, without firing shot, 1t
would be difficult to escape the con-
viction that there. was nothing really
vital left in democracy itself. Out OF
the blood shed in their martyrdom
it is not difficult to believe vengeance
in its own time will come.
Three Democracies Divided.
If democracy is to be saved else
where in the world it is plain now
that there must be some prompt ap-
probation on the part OF the peoples
who profess loyalty to it Of what the
present trend of events in Europe
means. Effectively only France and
Britain are left in Europe capable OF
resisting the present rising tide OF
Fascism and NaZism, which are
at bottom identical. And, outside
of Europe, only the United States
offers any effective obstacle. But
these three great democracies are dl-
vided by individual quarrels and SO
completely immersed in their reSpec-
tive parochial problems as, with the
possible exception of France, to be
totally unconcerned with outside
affairs.
Thus today it is far from unlikely
that France, with her smaller allies,
embarking upon war of prevention
against Hitlerism, would be faced
with the disapprobation if not the
passive opposition of both the United
pritoip IF hnU-
ever, France either stands aside from
such a conflict or, after precipitatln9
a war of prevention, is defeated, then
it is plain that the French democracy
must sooner or later be submerged
and the entire European continent di-
vided into Fascist and Communist
camps. And what that can mean to
the British needs no emphasizing.
But to return to the tragic Austrian
episode, as I have said, it does not
represent a revolt against an exist
ing system but against an impending
destruction. What stared the Social
lists of Vienna in the face were the
concentration camps and personal VIC
lence which attended the coming OF
Hitler in. Germany, and these were
equally assured whether the He-mwehr
or the NaZiS triulnphed-that is,
whether Dollfuss survived or Hitler
supremacy was assured. For thouS-
andS immediate death in battle
seemed more attractive than the lin
gering misery of their brethren be-
yond the German frontiers.
Hitler'S Achievements.
The Austrian uprising was, then,
the cirect consequence of the Nazl
revolution in Germany In less than
a year, therefore, Hitler has de-
stroyed the League of Nations, abol-
ished the disarmament conference,
dissolved the French system of alli-
ances wrecked the Austrian Republic
and successfully asserted and en-
ployed German right TO rearm. Now
ne has reached the point where only
war can arrest his larger triumph and
if, by reason of the hopeless dis
array Of the former allies, he can
postpone that struggle for a year or
its outcome.
Thus for the Fuehrer the battle of
may WC4l bu4l OuI W 1ldNS
been what the battle of Austerlitz was
for the Little Corporal assuring
Hitler, like Napoleon before him, OF
a period Of European domination
through divisions of those other ma
tions who severally will have to pay
the price of their failure to make a
fight which they could only make
successfully together Nor does it
make much difference whether, temp
orarily, Austria is dominated 1y
Fascists backed by Mussolini or Nazis
controlled by Hitler. In the end it
is sure to be Hitler who wins and
MusSolini who loses, if Rome and
Berlin are left to fight it out to-
gether.
With the fall of the Austrian Re-
public the last fugitive achievement
of the American crusade for democ-
racy in Europe disappears All that
was temporarily won has been lost
and, in addition, much that was once
securely held is now under direct and
deadly challenge.