Evening star., 1936-08-30
Ill DUCE AND HITLER HOLD
EUROPE AT THEIR MERCY
Supremacy of Combined Air Forces
Makes France Fear for Survival
of DemOCracV.

on August 10, Mussolini was In Rome,
but too busy with other matters to
answer at once. Three more German
warships had to be sent to the Medi-
terranean and they were not quite
ready. They reached the rest Of
the fleet on August IA. The British,
realizing the danger of the Italo-
German game, decided to step in.
and instructed their Rome and Berlin
ambassadors to make strong repre-
sentations at the respective foreign
offices. But now the French admit
that an agreement not to support
either faction in Spain has practically
no value, even If Mussolini and Hitler
decided to accept it. While the French
had managed to smuggle q certain
quantity of arms and ammunition,
and some 18 planes Of doubtful fight
ing value to the Madrid government,
no less than ~ German Junker and
Dornier bombers and % Italian
Capronis, Bredas and Savoia fight
ing planes strengthened Gen. Fran
cos forces and enabled him to trans
port his foreign legion and Moroccan
soldiers to the mainland.
THE victory of the Spanish mill
tary junta." said one of Frances
political leaders sadly. will establish
the political domination of fascism
and nazism in Europe. It will mean
the encirclement of France by re-
dictionary forces at time when
Britain Is nowhere near ready to
act. Our previous governments talked
about placing a steel ring around Ger
many. That steel ring is now effec-
lively placed around France. For
the first time since the end of the
war, the French government can talk
seriously about Frances security. be-
cause it Is in fact in jeopardy. On
the other hand, should Spain's legiti-
mate government win, the defeat Of
Franco and his generals might pre-
cipitate a German Intervention in
the Spanish affairs"
Moment Well Chosen.
There is no doubt that the moment
has been well chosen by Rome and
Berlin to assert the superiority of
the Central Powers in the affairs
of Europe. England Is not yet pre-
pared to face the consequences of
another European conflagration; the
Little Entente. impressed by the show
of strength by Mussolini and Hitler,
is hesitant and will think twice be-
fore it decides to take an active part
in an European imbroglio; France
alone Is not in q position to oppose
Italy and Reich. Russia might un-
dertake the task, but strangely enough
neither Italy nor Germany seems to
worry about the military strength Of
the Colossus with clay feet -
And the following figures show
clearly why the French are afraid
that democracy in Europe runs .
serious risk Of being overwhelmed by
the Fascist-NaI doctrines. The
Europeans are airminded and believe
that the preponderant air force will
have the best chance of winning out
in the next confagration. Germany
has 1000 brand-new planes Of the
Arado, Heinkel, Dornier carrying 2
guns and AZ bombs) and Junker types.
Most of these have an 850-mile cruis-
planes can reach speed Of 218 miles
an hour.
Italy has 1900 planes-outside those
in Ethiopia. The Flats, the Capronis,
the Bredas, the Savoias and the nag
gios can carry about $500 pounds of
bombs each and have standard speed
Of 158 miles an hour.
In the other camp, France has $50
heavy planes Of the Block, Potez,
Amiot and Ferman types; 400 pursuit
and scouting planes of the Dewolulne,
Mureaux and Spad types, and so sea-
planes 910 new planes.
To this number must be added some
thing like 1,135 planes which are
considered by experts as obsolete. The
speed of the new planes does not
exceed 180 miles an hour.
Britain Reorganizing Aviation.
Great Britain is in process Of re-
organizing her aviation corps. BY
the end of this year she will have
1880 new airplanes. It Is assumed
that their fighting qualities will be
as good as those of the Germans.
At present, however, she can put into
action in Europe not more than 730
flying machines.
Rumania, Czechoslovakia and Yugo-
slavia, If they live up to the treaty
Of alliance with France, could offer
the support of 2,070 airplanes of
somewhat doubtful value. And of
these the Czechoslovak air force, con-
sisting of 700 new machines, Is the
only really reliable one.
Russia has close to 1000 planes,
but the distances from her air bases
to the various points Of eventual at
tack are so great that no more than
1,200 could be counted on to give the
allies any effective assistance.
Under the circumstances, with the
Central Powers working in close coll
laboration, holding definite superiority
in the air, and q powerfully and COM
pletely mobilized army, there is good
reason for the French and their as
sociates to fear for their safety. There
is good reason to recognize that Europe
is at the mercy Of Mussolini and
Hitler, and that they are indeed IN
q position to dictate their own terms
for the maintenance OF peace IN
Europe.
tcopyright, 1850
I'LL T1 III