Evening star., 1936-12-20
LAST PREPARATIONS SPED
FOR WAR, OBSERVER SAYS
Pretenses of Neutrality in Spanish War
Dropped, European Nations Gird for
Imminent Clash, Expert States.

ish work on arms and ammunition In
factories. vast orders have been placed
abroad, and the government has es-
tablished q food defense department"
to supply and distribute food in time
of war. This department will en-
deavor to avoid boarding and now is
placing orders for large quantities of
wheat, potatoes, butter and other sta
pie foods.
Before the end of the year the
French government will be forced to
add another $500, 100000 to the ST.
250.000,000 provided in this years or
dinary and extraordinary appropri-
ations for the army, the navy and
military aviation
Germany is methodically rushing
her activities. The government has
placed restrictions on food and cloth
ing-a measure interpreted by the
French general staff as the last prep
aration for an immediate campaign.
The "Panzerdivisionen" (the tank di-
visionS), which are separate units, are
almost ready. The men have COM
pleted their technical education, but
the required tanks are not ready.
German Factories Rushed.
The German factories are so rushed
that they cannot provide all the
necessary steel for the armor. nor the
motors needed for these modern en-
gines of war. Large orders for steel
and for Ere engine motors have been
placed during the last few months in
the United States. The tank divi-
sions, containing about 1,500 tanks
of all descriptions, are expected TO be
ready for action this Spring
The Italians made their majo prep
arations last year, when they fought
the Ethiopian campaign. Mussolini
did not have to join the other powers
in the mad rush for armaments. He
is completing the fighting power Of
the navy and the aviation. Being a
far-seeing man he also has begun to
make defensive preparations to pro-
tect Italian territory
In the Far East, the Toxic govern
ment is in about the same position
as the Italian. The Japanese have
been at war since 1881. and the in
crease in their armaments have been
conducted on normal war basis. But
they are fastening the political prep
arations for new aggression. The
Chang Kai-Shek incident" is be-
lieved to have been instigated by
Toxic. The dictator of China has
played into the hands of the japanese
for good while. OF late, for some
obscure reason, he has become more
independent. The result of that in
dependence was the coup" of Marshal
Chang, who wants the Marking gov
ernment to declare war on Japan
Immediately. Such a declaration of
war on the part of the Chinese-who
are totally unprepared to resist the
Japanese-is what Toxic has sought
for q long time. It would place the
seal of legality on their further en-
croachment on Chinese territory, and
would enable them to obtain control
over the Yangtze River, which, for the
time being, is still considered to be
within Britain's zone of influence.
Americas Aid Sought.
A war-scared Europe once more Is
looking toward Washington for as
sistance. The temple of peace or
war is in Washington" recently said
a French parliamentarian, after read
ing President Roosevelt's speech in
Buenos Aires. Let us not place ex-
aggerated hopes on the sincere in
tentions for the preservation of peace
by the American President. But let
us pray that he and the American
people will realize that they are the
only people who can stem the on
slaught of fascism and naziism"
And, while the French parliament
tartan was making this statement, the
nations which have not yet paid for
the last war were appropriating sums,
more than sufficient to pay their debt
to the United States for the prepara-
tion of a second war.
1t is this difficult situation which
George vi inherited from his brother
Edward when the latter decided to re-
linquish his throne in order to follow
the inclinations of his heart. And
there is little wonder that so many
Britishers in the United Kingdom and
in the dominions ask themselves
whether Edward Of Windsor has
chosen the right moment to insist
that he has the same rights to his
private life as the rest of his sub
jects.
0Copyrisht. 1861