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

Continued From First Page.)
capital to capital. They actually
spend more time at Stresa, Geneva
and other rendezvous and on the
trains and airplanes between capitals
than they do at their own desks.
Laval went to Rome, Stresa, Geneva,
London, Warsaw and Moscow-every-
where but Berlin. After his visit to
Rome The Blackshirt Legions began
pouring into Africa, and Paris and
London have found it necessary to
intervene in behalf of Emperor Halle
Selasie, Conquering Lion Of Judah.
After Stresa MuSsoiini modified more
than 1,000,0 900 men, raising his stand
ing peace-time army of 10000 soldiers
to 10000, and putting the Black
shirt Militia Of 100000 men on a war
footing. France quietly sent 10000
more poilus to man her eastern fortif1-
cations.
Sir John Simon and Capt. Anthony
Eden went to Berlin to calm Hitler's
fears. Sir John returned to England,
and Immediately all airplane factories
in the British Empire started feverishly
turning out battle planes. Eden went
on to Warsaw and Moscow and came
home to 60 to bed for six weeks upon
doctors orders. He recovered-after
Stresa and Geneva pourparlers were
concluded-in three weeks. Diagnos-
ticians of diplomats illnesses are
bordering.
The sum and substance Of it all
is that a new system Of security" has
been devised to avoid war. The BIZ
lateral and multilsteral offensive and
defensive alliances against an "ag-
gressor." Since Germany is the only
visible potential aggressor at the mo-
ment, they obviously are aimed at her
Whether these security guarantees will
stand the acid test remains to be seen.
They are concluded within the
framework" OF the League. which is
exceedingly elastic these days. People
cannot forget, however. that Italy was
an ally of Austro-H Hungary and Ger
many before 1914. and that the Rus
sian armies got hopelessly mired in the
Mazurian Lakes. Also Caporetto and
the Izonzo did not increase the prestige
of the Italians as desirable allies.
Whether Mussolini has changed the
basic character of the Italian soldier
is doubtful.
"Big Stick" Made Idol.
While statesmen persist in making
treaties and holding conferences gov
ernments continue TO place more hope
or faith-in T Roosevelt's doctrine
- LII ;oIr 10 ~, al,
words. Preparation goes on apace.
The biggest ornaments race in his
tory is on-not only in Europe but in
the United States and the Far East.
Although land ornaments are not
being neglected. it is the enemy in
the skies" which is emphasized. The
battle scene has shifted from the
trenches to the capitals, industrial
cities and strategic centers of the
rival countries. AS if by sheer coinci-
dence this very moment TUESDAY,
May II, 10 am the sirens are Shrek
ing all over Paris. 1t is an advance
test of what is to come tonight when
for a specified period all lights will
be extinguished, traffic will cease and
rescue squads will dash about the
streets taking "gassed" victims to
first-aid stations Pedestrians will dive
into bombproof shelters. subways and
'abris": those citizens who have COM
piled with the prefecture of police
recommendations will get out their
gas masks. others who have not will
lie quietly on floors and wrap their
heads in wet towels Scoffers, who fail
to douse their lights, will be fined as
high as 200 francs. The enemy will
be over Paris.
The same exercises have already
taken place at Berlin Munich. Rome,
Naples and even in Swiss cities. Swiss
federal authorities ordered the Geneva
Socialist government to spend huge
sums on bombproof shelters and gas
masks. The cantonal government re-
fused, pointing out that the recon-
mended gas masks were made in
Germany by firms against whose
gases the Swiss were supposedly
menacedI
Official Figures Given.
How extensively Europe Is arming is
revealed in official statements of gov
eminent officials. The reports obvious
ly are conservative because general
stats do not give away military Sc
cretS. In some cases they may be
exaggerated; the Soviets for example
want to impress the French of their
value as military allies.
According to Vice Commissar of
War Michael Tuchachevsky, the Soviet
war machine has been increased from
800, 900 to $4,000 men in the past
four years. its air power has increased
$50 per cent. pursuit and bombing
planes have doubled their speed and
trebled their cruising radius. Light
tanks have increased in number 1850
per cent, other tanks by 1872 per cent
and their speed has been increased
from three to six times. Heavy artil-
lery has increased 2lO per cent and
the number of submarines in service
Is 435 per cent greater than in 1882"
Presumably reliable figures place
Russia's air equipment at 5000 fight
ing planes. M. Renaitour, nLted
French airman and reporter of the
air bill before the Chamber, says Rus
STA alone in Europe has a stronger air
force than France.
The composition of Frances air arm
is military secret. But Gen Denain,
who has just negotiated an air alliance
with Italy, says: The French air
force has been remodeled so that by
the end of 1885 it will be fully equal
to any force Germany can produce
In event of war there will be general
industrial mobilization to maintain our
fleet equal to that of any possible
opponent" France may not be able
to prevent enemy armadas from bomb
ing her cities, the general headquar-
tiers admits, but Gen. Denain warns
that 1T will be comparatively easy
for French airplanes to bomb enemy
capitals in reprisal"
The French Chamber of Deputies
also has been informed that by the
end of 1885 France will have between
1000 and 5000 fighting and retaliatory
significant world planes"
Great Britain appears to be woe
fully lacking in air ornaments, which
may explain the feverish activity now
going on across the Channel. Five
countries orcordipU n British jptalli.