Evening star., 1934-03-19
Gibbs Finds None in Europe
Wants War or Dares to Risk 1t
Surrey Reveals Only Granting Ger
many Immediate Equality in Arma.
ments VIII Prevent Race

from starvation in the streets Of Buda-
pest. She had tramped in from the
country, where there is much unem-
ployment and no dole for jobless men.
There are many like her. was told,
although in Budapest the dancing
cabaretS are crowded.
Duce Still Holds Italy.
The Hungarian people want a King
Of their own. He might make the
price Of wheat go up. He might bring
back the lost lands. But they do not
want King If he is to be Emperor
Of Austria, ruling from Vienna. That
was always their quarrel with the
Hapsburgs. And they do not want a
King II it would lead to war. They
want prosperity, with work for every
one and higher wages. Even the land
ed gentry are prepared to wait for
their hopes and dreams.
Meanwhile. they will be friends with
Italy, with no offense to Germany.
In Italy, Mussolini still holds his
people Fascism has the will of the
people behind it. or, at least, the will
of the majority, though business
people, I am told, are not pleased
with the way things are going.
The Italian people seem vitally
proud of their leader and unconscious
of any limitation of their liberty.
Mussolini. it seems, has given a fair
deal to the working classes. There
is no starvation. Children look happy.
And one thing is certain in the
mystery Of his mind and genius-he
is not in favor of war in spite of all
his early speeches. He is for European
peace. if he can advance his power
and prestige by bloodleSs victories. AS
a soldier, he knows what war is in
the ranks and the hideous price of it.
Nobody wants war in Europe today
That Is one strong conviction I bring
back from my journey. Germany
wants equality in arms and means to
get it. Not because she intends to
attack France, but to release herself
from inferiority and for her own
security. Hitler wants peace-needs
peace in order to build up the new
Germany. However dangerous may
be the rising spirit of German youth
and all this intensive education in
racial pride-it is very dangerous
there is no thought of immediate
war in the German mind. Hitler him
self is sincere, I was told by every
body to whom I have spoken, in offer
ing France a peace pact provided
equality, or something like equality,
is granted.
Definite Pledge Needed.
No nation can afford war at the
present time. No nation dare risk
it. France, on her side, is not going
to fight a preventive" war. That
idea is utterly abandoned, if it ever
existed. The French mind-very
realist-is forced to admit that nothing
can stop German rearmament. 1t is
already in progress. French leader
ship is moving toward the conviction
that equality must be granted sooner
or later and that security for France
now hangs upon the chance of getting
other nations-above all. England
to pledge themselves to act together
against aggression by Germany or
any other power which seeks to break
the peace. There must be a definite
pledge, without evasion, or France
will increase her armaments and all
Europe will do the same
To that pass we have come and no
exchange of notes, no speeches by
statesmen, will hide the fact
There is another alternative for
France, but not yet possible to French
psychology. 1t would be possible even
on Germany's side to make a friendly
understanding. 1t would require a
miracle for France to come to that
idea, as England came to it with
France after centuries of fighting.
But if I were a Frenchman, I should
pray for that miracle. 1t is the only
chance for real peace in Europe be-
yond a short term of years. This
chance Of a reasonable arrangement
with Germany still holds. But it will
not hold if there is another race in
armaments, uncontrolled and quick
ened by fear.
Other Forces Moving.
have come back from these coun-
tries with the conviction that there
is no more time for verbiage on this
question of disarmament. Only grant
ing Germany equality and a pledge
to France by England and other ma
tions can avert competition in de-
structive power. For England, that
decision Is difficult to make and per-
haps no government could make it.
But we have to face it and the con-
sequences of making it or not making
it are both extremely perilous-IO
years perilouS-10 years hence or
thereabouts.
That is Europe today, as have seen
it in recent weeks. But there are
other forces moving-the spirit of
younger men, impatient with the old
system, eager to try out some form
of fascism, scornful of democracy,
no longer believing in liberty of speech
or opinion and inclined towards the
cudgel as the best way in an argu-
ment.
In these countries I have. visited,
faith in democracy is dying or dead.
In its place is the sign of the swastika,
the Fascist emblem or the belted
shirt.
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N