Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1936-02-23
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.


THE lights are no longer turned
out in European war depart
ments. Tired, overWorked staff
Il officers are studying large maps
and reports from intelligence Off
GERS Motor cycled messengers are be-
ing rushed to the mobilization centers,
carrying the ominous orders: stand
by for general mobilization" The
stacks of factories in industrial centerS
belch smoke "a hours day. Men and
women are working overtime hasten
ing the production of war materials
and gas masks. Sentries with fixed
bayonets don't allow strangers to enter
these nerve centers of war without
proper identification.
The question now is not, "Will there
be a ware" but, When will the war
break out again." And the answer is
In less than six months if France and
her allies decide to strike first-the
preventive war; not later than the
Summer of 1887 if Germany is allowed
the initiative.
The ratification of the Franco
Soviet treaty of mutual assistance"
shook the nerves of every European
government, whether allied or hostile
to France. This pact is nothing but
the revival of the old offensive and de-
fensive alliance of 1907 and is openly
directed at Germany. It was only
after long hesitation that the French
government decided to ratify the treaty
of alliance with the Soviets. Hitler, on
the one hand, was offering them a
pact guaranteeing unreservedly the
Rhine frontiers. All he asked in ex-s
change was a free hand in the East.
Flandin Gambler.
On the other hand, Russia and the
Little Entente were pressing them for
action. With France neutral and Italy
engaged in Ethiopia, Germany would
in no time be the master of Central
and Eastern Europe and France would
be reduced to second Belgium. Laval
leaned toward a secure mediocrlty.
Flandin is a gambler-he is willing to
take chance for the greater glory of
France. And the Soviet-French mar
riage has been solemnized, giving Eu-
rope a bad attack of jitters.
The Soviet army is no longer the
army of the Cars. Its morale is i'm
proved. At the last military review
held in Moscow no less than 5000 new
tanks were shown to the delighted
French officers, while the skies were
actually darkened by the squadrons of
bombing and scouting planes. Tears
of tender emotion came to the eyes Of
that great priest of pacifism, Edouard
Herriot. in whose honor the parade
was held.
And yet, Soviet Russia is only a
giant with clay feet. The Germans
and the Poles know it; the French
general staff fears it, but hopes for the
best.
The troops are brave; the officers
up to battalion commanders are Ell
ficient. But the general staff and the
divisional and army corps command
ers are unspeakably weak. The fac
tories are new, but their efficiency,
when compelled to work under high
pressure, is sadly lacking. Most of
the famous daredevil cavalrymen
are flyers now, and there is no doubt
that they will show in the air the
same reckless bravery they have shown
on horseback-but horses require less
care than airplanes. Russia, on the
defensive, may be invincible. Russia
on the offensive is only slightly better
than she was in 1914.
Russians Optimistic.
The Russians are irrepressible opti-
mists. Menaced by the Germans in
the west and the japanese in the east,
they feel confident that with the as
sistance of the French and their allies
they can get the better of both enc
mics. And the French are willing to
take a chance once more. They have
too much at stake at the present mo-
ment to be afraid of losing game.
Frances old allies-Rumania, Yugo-
slavia and Czechoslovakia-are I'M
easy. They have been preparing
since 1920 for the final showdown,
but now that it is coming they are
worried. France missed the ideal mo-
ment to strike at Germany in October,
1888, when the German delegates
walked out OF the meeting nan at
Geneva, refusing to accept the limi-
tation of arms convention. say Messrs.
Titulescu and company. 1t was then
that Germany, could have been brought
to her knees in less than three months.
But now it is too late. The Poles
realized this better than any one else,
and when the shivering Paul-Boncour
r,.t-
because he wanted to invade Germany
at once in November, 1888, Poland de-
serted the French camp and went
over to Germany, bag and baggage.
1t is true that France is now re-
plenishing the treasures of these three
allies to enable them to complete their
military preparations. But this finan-
cisl assistance no longer creates the
customary enthusiasm. It's managed