Evening star., 1936-09-27

equipped within four weeks after the
mobilization order has been issued.
This army will be assisted by one of
the best air forces In Europe and by
a powerful navy.
Thus the German general stan
hopes to make an end to the Soviet
system of government within a short
time.
Delay May Foil Plans.
OF course, the German rulers are not
blind to the fact that everybody in Eu-
rope-inclusive of Mussolini-might
regard the defeat of Moscow as the
| sign Of Germany's domination Of Eu-
rope. and would not like it. And be-
cause of this possibility, the well-laid
plans of Hitler's military advisers may
be foiled if Germany waits too long
before 1t strikes.
For the time being, Great Britain,
while feared by the Germans because
Of her navy which can blockade the
coasts Of Germany, Is not considered
likely to get drawn into a European
conflict. 1t Is true that the British
government Is spending huge sums Of
money on military preparedness. But
although the British arsenals and pri-
vate arms factories are working "a
hours q day, Great Britain cannot be
ready for another IL months. Further
more, the British political parties are
not united. Among British politicians,
in the general staff and in the admi-
ralty there are trends favoring the de-
struction of communism. Many lead
ers in London believe that Britain's
power will take on new vitality in the
event Germany succeeds in crushing
communism at its source. In private
conversations I have had with British
generals and admirals the opinion was
general that at the end of the CRU
sade" Germany will be SO exhausted
Enthusiastically, financially and eco
nomically that it will take years before
she can really bid for hegemony over
Europe. And during this time Great
Britain once more will be the dominat-
ing power in Europe because she will
have time to fully prepare her army
and her aviation.
France, today, Is divided into two
camps: Those who, with Blum, believe
in the alliance with Russia and want
| to intervene on the side Of that power
If she is attacked, and those who see
only disaster in such action and are
determined to keep a neutral attitude
il the British government decides to
take that course.
Furthermore, France Is on the verge
Of an economic upheaval. The
French government intends to aben-
don the gold standard before the
end Of the year, and It win take some
time before things can be readjusted
so as to enable the republic to handle
| any but war of defense.
German-Italian Parallelism.
A German-Italian paraIlelism of
interests exists today. while Great
Britain is still smarting over the
check to her policies in the Italo-
Ethiopian conflict. In Rome 1t Is
believed that Great Britain is pre-.
pairing to avenge the insult she suf-
fered in the Mediterranean. This
German-Italian parallelism will con-
tinue as long as Great Britain smarts
under the Mediterranean incident"
and as long as France is divided into
uncompromising political factions.
with sharp suffering from q serious
economic and social illness. But Ber-
lin is not fooled by Italy's friendli-
ness. Hitler, and especially his mill
tary and political advisers, knows that
the day Great Britain turns another
leaf in her political dealings with Italy
and the day France gets out Of her
present troubles. II Duce can no long
er be relied upon.
There is not much love lost be-
tween the two dictators. Italy dis
likes the idea of Germany establish
ing q hegemony over Europe; Mus
solini needs money to develop his
African empire and to raise the
stan ard of living at home. Germany
has no money to offer, while the Lon
don and Paris financial markets are
still able to provide II Duce with the
two or three hundred million dollars
he needs at an early moment.
With these indisputable facts in
mind, the German general staff con-
siders that it must strike at Russia
soon, If it strikes at all.
The outline of the virulent speech
Hitler made in Nurnberg early in
September was indicated to this
writer in the middle Of August by
high-ranking German. The speech
was Hitler's, but the ideas were sup
piled to him by his general stan. They
are the result Of q careful survey OF
conditions in Western Europe made by
keen German observers who profess
to know the state Of military and
economic preparedness Of the world
to the last machine gun and the last
airplane. And it is this force, un-
seen to the outsider. which drives
Germany into a crusade against Com
munist dictatorship.
"Must Strike Now"
1--WE must strike now." was told
in Berlin. "If we wait six more
months cur chances for a quick vic
tory will be considerably reduced; If
we wait another year the struggle
will be hard. but victory still can be
obtained. If we wait for another is
mOQtQS we are going W oDdStcI, anu
the general staff itself will oppose q
military operation against the Soviets.
The consequences Of such q delay
may have incalculable results for -
} Reich and for Hitler. 1t may mean
his doom and the doom Of the coun-
try. The destinies OF both now are
so tied together that We can no
l. longer separate them. And neither
. Hitler nor the Reich wants To COM
, NIT suicide.
) The possibility Of creating q state
J Of confusion in Europe as Q result Of
: our fight against bolshevism is al
most negligible; the consequences OF
: our not settling the score with the
: Moscow rulers will jeopardize our
existence as an authoritarian state
and might endanger the existence oi
! those very states which profess te
= oppose our aims at the present mo-
5 ment. Europe would be more threat.
| ened with chaos and anarchy IL we