Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-05-26


ter to crush Germany today, while it
is comparatively easy, thereby assuring
an armed peace" for another genera
ton, than to wait until the Third
Reich has been effectively rearmed.
Also the ex-allies never were more
closely united in poSt-l9l8 times than
they are at this moment. Time works
in Germany's favor so far as nation
alistic rivalries in Europe are con-
cerned.
If by any unfortunate circumstance,
| the Nazis should commit an overt act,
| invade Austria. or violate French or
Polish or Austrian territory, pre-
tentative war" might be Embossed.
Otherwise, there is hardly the ghost
of a chance.
Arms Makers Profit.
| One hears much of the sinister in
| f1uence of ornaments makers. Ac-
tually the role they are playing in the
European dance of Mars is no greater
or no less than that which they played
! in previous international crises. Para
| phrasing the proverb, they are making
munitions and profits while the war
dogs howl around the door. Their
activities are no more malevolent. nor
are their motives any purer than those
| of politicians who seek to remain in
Office by capitalizing upon public fears.
/ Vickers: Schneider-C reusot. Skoda,
Krupp and du PontNemours and
Mitsui overseas may be making mil
| lions on the war psychology, but Hit
ler's, Mussolini's and Pilsudski's sue
cessors are perpetuating their dicta-
| torial regimes, and the unnatural
Ramsay MISUNDERSTANDING Baldwin
and Edouard Herriot-Pierre Etienne
Flandin party combinations are hold
ing together largely because of ma
tional fears.
If the war scare were dissipated in
Europe today, tomorrow might see po-
litical upheavals in England, Germany
and France, and perhaps in Poland
and Italy.
Only the SovietS apepar to be firmly
intrenched, yet they, too. have been
deporting thousands of the ''opposi-
! ton" TO Siberia and are now proposing
/ to construct an immense canal from
Moscow to the sea with so-called
convict" labor.
The spectacle of democratic liberty
/ loving France embracing hated
! Fascism on one hand and equally de-
tested Communism on the other, and
at the same time flirting passionately
with self-righteous Britain and casting
fearful glances at Nazi Germany,
shows the topsy-turvy condition
European politics is in today.
Depression War Talked.
Another tendency which is apparent
is the growing belief that war would
pull Europe out of the depression-a
depression which is growing in France,
Holland, Switzerland and Italy, and
which is hanging on doggedly in Eng
land and other countries. In France
particularly is heard the argument
that war would stimulate business.
Italy, to certain extent, has proved
the theory. Factories engaged in max
ing war materials airplanes, automo-
biles, cloth for uniforms, foodstuffs,
ETC., are booming. Mobilization has
taken tens Of thousands out of the
IdIlhS VI Lie dIlO lCS
have reabsorbed hundreds of thou
sands. The establishment of COM
pulsory 40-hour week has brought jobs
to 1000 formerly idle workers, &C
cording to the Fascist ministry Of
corporations
Nevertheless, according to last avail
able figures, there were 955, 533 wholly
| unemployed in BlackShirtland. On
February this year there were 1,011,-
I'll, which comes close to the highest
post-depression record. Evidently
Mussolini's African adventure isn't
going so well after all And 1t is no
responsible for the stability of the
lira. Italy's gold reserves on April l
were only s308, 900 ,000-less than those
of Belgium, Holland, Switzerland or
Spain. Frances gold reserves on the
same date were 1928, 100000. But
how long France will carry Italy along
is problematical When the show
down comes the collapse may lead to
financial and economic chaos.
Germany Is Busy.
Germany, likewise, appears to be
fiourishing under artificial military
stimulation. More than 10 per cent
of her factories, according to Gen.
Maurin, French minister of war, are
working on war materials either d.
rectly or indirectly. Authoritative
sources report that 80 per cent of
Germany's workers owe their present
jobs to military preparation and re-
armament orders. Before 1914 the
average was only Is per cent. Krupp's
report $4,000 men working in their
ornaments factories: three years ago
the number was $4,000.
Three big blast furnaces, cold since
1881, have been retired near Bremen
There were 1858, 900 workers ION
the job" March /, according to Nazi
offlcia statistics OF this number,
between 100000 and 6,0OO,0UO are
engaged in preparation for national
defense" Hitler claims to have re-
duceu unemployment from 5.579,858
at the beginning of 1888 to 2.400, 900
on last April l.. The explanation per-
haps may be found in compulsory la
Dor camps, CONSUMPTION environments,
the enlarged Reichswehr, the Brown
shirt S. A. and Schupo s. S. organi-
cations and in the stimulated war in
dustries.
Even Great Britain, France and the
neutral countries of Holland, sweden
and Switzerland have been aided eco
nomically by the war psychology.
They are making munitions, airplanes,
ETC., for other countries. Arplane
factories. especially, are working at
full draft. British concerns nave re-
ceived secret instructions to reach
maximum capacity, and to cancel for
eign contracts If necessary. La order
to fill British orders.
Yet in every country farmers, shop
keepers, hotel men and industries de-
voted to the arts and crafts Of peace
are suffering more than ever, and the
burden of taxation Is mounting,
mounting and mounting. There is
hardly government budget IN the
Old World that is not groaning under
repeated deficits. Particularly those
of countries which still seek to re-
main upon the gold standard.
RIt while governments cabinets