The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1936-05-04
EUROPE FEARS
OUTBREAK OF
NEWMAN
Continued from Page u

OSPL1lS 1lVS I1A1CSs
Staying Of DOllfuSS
Once was when the Nad Puts
christs murdered DollfusS, Chan
cellor of Austria, July IS, 1884.
Once was when Macedonian and
Croat terroriStS murdered King
Alexander of Jugoslavia at Mar
settles, OCTOBER 8, 1884. Once was
when Hitler tore up the military
clauses of Versailles and pro-
claimed q new and mighty Ger
man army, March IL, 1885. Once
was when the British fleet in all
its strength and glory steamed
into the Mediterranean to make
Mussolini stop his war on Ethio-
pia, September, 1885. Last was
when the troops Of Nazi Germany
marched into the Rhineland and
Hitler denounced the Locarno
treaty, Germany's only promise
not to attack France, March z,
1896.
Five times in "a months the
continent has wavered on the
brink and recoiled. With o fatal
periodicity the crises have come
on an average each four and o
half months. Each time, until
now, Europe has recoiled from the
plunge. Does this mean that she
will always draw back in time?
Europe does not think so. Each
Of the five crises just named have
pushed her nearer to the edge Of
disaster. Each one has shaved off
a few feet more of the narrow
ledge supporting her.
DollfuSS" murder removed the
only personality who could have
hoped to preserve Austrian indie"
pendence for any considerable pc
Rod. Alexander's murder robbed
Jugoslavia of the strong hand 1t
needed to keep his country power
full for peace.
Fright Grows Daily
Hitler's proclamation Of his
army in defiance Of Versailles
threw the Continent into a parox-
ysm of fright which daily grows.
Britain's fleet in the Mediter-
ranean is not withdrawn and Mus
solini has dared it with such
audacity that British pride cries
to expunge the insult.
Finally the tread Of German
boots across the Rhine bridges
aroused such fears in France that
Europe trembleS in fresh night
mares. The nightmares multiply.
Clouded by the infinite COM
plexities of the present, Europe
only dreams of what may happen
in the future. None Of her dreams
are provably probable. All her
dreams interlock, fade into one
another, mutually contradict. But
none of her dreams are absurd, be-
cause upon the fears Of today de-
pend the actions Of tomorrow.
Europe'S bad dreams are:
Number One-AuStria goes NaZi.
Starhemberg and SchuSSnig have
a smaller basis Of popular support
than probably any other govern
ment of earth. Italian money and
the promise of italian bayonetS
have kept them in power. But
Italian money is depleted by sane
lions, and many Italian bayonetS
are abroad in Africa. Twenty per
cent Of AuStrianS support their
present government. The other
8 per cent are divided between
Nazis and the Socialists whom
~DollfusS shelled in their homes.
"The War Is Ont"
BY any of dozen conceivable
ways Austria goes NaZi, perhaps,
even before Hitler wants it. Imme-
diately MuSsolini throws his army
into Austria to keep Germany out
Germany mobilizeS against Italy.
France mobilizes against Germany
The war is on. This is a dream,
but every European dreamer knows
even when he is wide awake that
it could happen any day.
Number Two-The three million
Germans in CzechoSlov close.
ly grouped along the border Of the
Reich, declared their independence
Of the Prague government and
elect to join Nazi Germany. Prague
denies their right to secede and
mobilizeS and civil war enSues.
The German CzechS call on Berlin
for help. Prague calls on Paris
and on Moscow, her allies. The
war is on.
This is dream, but Hitler'S
program to amalgamate the Ger
transporting peoples of Europe
into his third empire remains not
only unrepealed but paramount.
It is a dream but it keeps Prague
from restful slumber.
Number Three-Britain, exas-
perated beyond endurance by
Mussolini's defiance, determines
to crush him. Britain pushes
sanctions until they hurt so
badly that MuSsolini faces either
submission and an tngloriouS end
or war and glorious end. He
chooses the latter.
France Holds Fire
Britain's fleet closes the Suez
Canal, blockadeS Italy. Italy's
air force destroys a number Of
British vesseus. France, forced
to promise support to Britain,
holds her fire with q fearful eye
on Germany. AUStria'S Nazis,
free of the fear Of Italian inter
vention, revolt and precipitately
announce union with Germany.
France, deSpairing at the quarrel