Evening star., 1936-08-22

one time In the German foreign Offices
800 afildavits describing assaults OF
Nazi Storm Troopers upon the ma
tionals of friendly powers. Russian.
Polish, American, Austrian, Czecho-
slovak and other citizens were knocked
down, beaten and otherwise brutally
assaulted. The German governments
explanation was that unfortunate epi-
sodes were bound to occur in the
course of q revolution, although at
the time the Nazis were in complete
possession of the country and there
was not a hint Of civil rebellion
against them.
We may take it that If, under all
the circumstances, the German gov
ernment decides to return fire for
fire, it does SO in full realization of
the possible political consequences of
such action. 1t will mean first, that
she Is acting as Italy's proxy in q
situation in which Italy apparently
hopes to gain new territory in the
Western Mediterranean.
German Italian Collaboration.
The announcement that Italy con-
siders occupying the Balearic Islands,
the fact that Italy has consulted Ger
many in the matter-and, as far as
we know, no other power-and Ger
many's reply that she was disinter-
ested in any change of the status
quo in the islands: this, together
with rtaly's and Germany's collabo-
ration with the Spanish rebels, and
the announcement on Friday that
Italy had invited Germany. Austria,
Hungary and the other central Euro
pean powers and no others, to par
ticipate in the forthcoming italian
war games, are all indications that a
German-Italian collaboration is at the
moment fact.
Very important. too, Is the attitude
taken by the -government-control
German press in the matter Of the
search by the Loyalist cruiser. The
press blames not Madrid, but Russia,
insisting that the whole insurrection
in Spain was engineered by Moscow
This is curious putting Of the cart
before the horse. A left liberal but by
no means Communist government was
assaulted by a military and Fascist in
surrection. In the course Of suppress
sing it. the Liberal government called
on all anti-Fascist forces, and armed
them. Amongst those forces are Com
munists and anarchists, who may, in
deed, prove, il the government wins,
to have the real power. But that
Moscow engineered this fracas, is to
imply that the Soviets are lacking irf
the rudiments of political sense, and
there is no reason for thinking that.
Moscow Stages Another Show.
On the contrary, the weird and
nightmarish political trial going on
in Moscow has very important inter-
national implications. That it is an
other cooked-up political demolstra-
ton, no one who reads the reports
carefully can doubt. Moscow would
not put on this show, at this moment,
except for purpose. And the pur-
pose is clear. 1t is to discredit, In
Russia. and throughout the world. the
Trotskyist group. and to discredit
them as thoroughly as possible, by
smearing them with nihilism and
fascism.
Why does Moscow do this? Because
the Trotskyists represent the most ac-
tive forces in the international Com
munist movement. In Spain the
Trotskyists have been the most active
revolutionaries. The same is true in
France. The Moscow government was
against the strikes following the in
stallation of the Popular Front, and
lately the official Communists have
been joining with conservative forces
in France. in asking that the From.
Populaire be converted into the Front
Francois" with the collaboration of
all men Of good will. In this trial in
Moscow the Russian government is
doing nothing less than wash its hands
very publicly of all forces throughout
the world who threaten existing de-
mocracies with revolution.
The German governments explana-
ton that its course is only a response
to public demands" is a little funny
Who controls the press, the radio and
every channel for the influencing of
public opinion in Germany? No pri-
vate individuals able to express spon-
taneous feelings.
Copyright. 1850