Evening star., 1934-04-01


the end she will be in a position to
risk battle.
France will be concerned only if she
fears that. having triumphed in the
east, Germany will return to the
west. In that event, Britain also
would be concerned. for she is tradi-
tionally committed to defend the low
countries against any dominant con-
tinental power. France can then
count on 10. perhaps 20, years of
tranquility. She will have to resign
her leadership in Europe, but in eX-
change she can get security.
Something of the fear of such a de-
velopment must be discovered in Mus
solini's recent speech to the Fascist
party in Rome. II aroused resent
ment in Paris; it was greeted with
contemptuous silence in Berlin: IL ex-
cited only detached and formal COM
ment in Washington and London.
There was in it note of disillusion-
ment and resentment. Italian re-
sponSibility had been engaged, but
European support and Endorsement
were lacking.
The weakness of the Duce's speech.
so far as one can judge at distance,
lay in the fact that it was addressed
to a domestic audience at a moment
when the whole world was visibly lis
tening. 1t exposed the two weak spots
IN the Italian armor at the precise
moment when battle was being en-
gagged. Italy was committed ire
vocably to a duel with Germany. but
agreement with France and Yugo-
slavia was lacking. Hence the sig
nificant references to North Africa
and the Adriatic.
Looking at the feverish activity of
recent weeks. then. one sees that
Italy has taken up the German chal-
lenge-it is now struggle of Fascism
against National Socialism over the
independence of Austria. But Italy
has not thereby enlisted French sup
port. or even any assurance of sup
port of the Little Entente. German
resentment of France as the principal
opponent of Austro-G German union
must now be replaced bv similar bit
terness toward Italy. The effect of
Italian policy in recent months has
been to shatter the French system of
alliances, but only to the benefit Of
Germany.
New Act to Be Presented.
Can Mussolini now reconcile the
French to his program Will French
fear of Germany triumph over French
resentment of Italian policy in the
recent past and bring about an agree
ment between Rome and Paris? Will
German recognition of the break be-
tween Paris and Rome lead to q Ger
man maneuver to make the break
permanent by offering France new
terms in the matter of security? Will
Italy, for her part, by promising sup
port for the German thesis of parity
in armaments, maintain German hos
tility to France?
These are the questions that leap
to the surface at the moment. A new
act Is about to be presented. Ger
many has smashed the League Of Ma
tions, the Disarmament Conference
and the French system of alliances,
but she has also brought Italy into
the field as the open opponent in Aus
trla. For the moment progress to-
ward Austro-German union is
blocked. Further activity seems to
foreShadow an Italian troop move
ment. Germany cannot fight. She
must recoil. as the French say. to get
a flying start for the next Jump.
France. on her side. has evidently
rejected the idea Of war of preven-
ton. She Is not going to attack Ger
many. On the other hand she has
not yet made up her mind what she
will do. There is hesita ton about the
question of armaments. There is
ooubt about the matter of the Sarre.
There is. above and beyond all else.
profound doubt as to the stability
OF the existing order in France Fresh
disorders are by no means impossible
A crisis of regime seems just around
the corner.
In the face of this French crisis.
Mussolini has seized the commanding
role. He is. for the moment, pre-
sumptive heir to the 2rimacy on the
continent which has been French for
decade and a hah. Nevertheless.
with two relatively weak and fairly
uncertain allies, he now comes to grip
with Hitler. equally undisputed mas
ter of a larger and mere powerful
country. He cannot longer hope to
make terms with Hitler ever the IS
cftn Hsyt1iPh lie jv,,r ~ Ia,
Austria. He cannot be quite sure
that he will have French support If
the dispute leads to collision. He
knows British support in war is un-
obtainable.
Plunges Into Domestic Fight.
On the surface Hitler has suffered
defeat. For the moment his invasion
of Austria has been halted by Italian
action. He seems to have accepted
this fact and thrown himself into a
sensational domestic battle against
unemployment. which will concentrate
German attention on the home front.
But In fact he has exposed the hope
less disarray in the camp of his enc
mics. They cannot march together,
they cannot act together. and sep
arately they must in the long run be
too weak to block German progress
In the meantime the continental
situation resolves itself into a bewil-
dering game of readjustments: France
and Berlin will conduct negotiations.
Rome and Paris will doubtless reopen
discussions. Prague and Belgrade will
inquire in Berlin what terms can be
had, and if they are reasonable will
probably accept them. Rumania will
also be casting about for fresh orien-
tations. Out of the present confusion
new crisis must inescapably emerge,
but for the moment what must be
called the Austrian affair of 1884 is
ended. 1t has terminated without war
and the possibilities of a war of pre-
vention are now relatively slight. But
by contrast it has disclosed European
chaos as complete as ever. Thus the
wise will look for a new crisis in no
long time.
Copyright. 1934)
The Omnipresent Fugitive.
From the Miami Herald.