Evening star., 1936-02-16

took the wind out of German sails by
proclaiming categorically at Geneva
that "the conversations between the
two STATS were absolutely limited TO
the present conflict and the possibility
of hostilities in the Mediterranean"
In addition, one can hear in diplo-
matte salons that Sir Eric Phipps, the
British Ambassador, in unmistakable
terms warned Hitler against militar-
izing the demilitarized zone.
Until Eden's declaration became
known, one could hear on every side
in Berlin that Hitler would soon call
the Reichstag together for dramatic
session at Worms-on- Rhine, seat of
medieval German Diets, where Martin
Luther in 1921 uttered his famous,
Here I stand, I cannot do other
wise"
The project for a Reichstag at
Worms seems. for the moment at least,
to have sunk into oblivion.
Meanwhile the talk of an early ses-
sion of the Reichstag, which today
has no other function except that of
being a sounding board for the
fuehrer and chancellor, has come up
in another connection.
Reichstag Due After Olympics.
The Reichstag Is to be convened
soon after the Winter Olympics, SO
the story runs In diplomatic circles,
in order to voice Germany's demand
for the return of German colonies.
This action of the Reichstag Is to
be followed by plebiscite asking for
popular approval of Hitler's measures
to regain the colonies-an approval
which will be so worded that it will
automatically carry with it a general
approval of the Hitler regime.
At first the rumors of Nazi hanker-
ing after colonies were not taken very
seriously by the representatives Of
foreign powers. For one thing, Nazi
insistence upon racial purity is so
passionate and doctrinaire that the
demand for colonies, carrying with it
as it does the danger of racial inter-
marriage, seemed incompatible.
Diplomats pricked up their ears,
however, when on January II Hitler's
right-hand lieutenant, Joseph Goeb-
bels, minister for propaganda and pub
lie enlightenment, declared amid thun-
derous applause in one Of Berlin's
largest meeting halls:
THE time is coming when we must
demand colonies. Things cannot 60 on
like this. There are countries which
have more colonies than they know
what to do with" -s
Reclamation Was Stressed.
Until Goebbels made this statement,
Nazis in talks with foreign correspond
ents always emphasized the point that
there is SO much swamp and other
waste land in Germany which can be
made cultivable. and that so much
land can be wrested from the North
Sea, that colonies are unnecessary and,
for racial reasons, undesirable.
Representatives of Alfred Rosen-
berg's foreign political ofiice of the
Nazi party even had previously gone
out of their way to explain that the
difference between fascism and ma
tional socialism lies in the fact that
fascism is imperialistic (hence the
insistence upon adding Ethiopia to its
colonies), while national socialism is
based upon the affinity of blood and
race (hence the subjugation of nom
| Nordic peoples Is undesirable).
Whatever may be Hitler's colonial
designs, the accredited diplomats are
greatly concerned as they fear inter-
| national complications In case Ger
many should demand colonies too voci-
ferously. They are hoping that the
Reichstag, If convened, and the plebis-
cite. If held, viii afford opportunities
for letting OF steam without endan-
gering the peace of the world.
Some diplomats also take the view
that the demand for colonies is being
pressed at this time chiefly In order
to have q bargaining point in the deal
ings with italy on the one hand and
Great Britain and France on the
other.
'vacillation May Be Planned.
German policy with reference to
these two groups Of powers and the
Ethiopian conflict seems for the pres
| ent to be one of carrying water on
both shoulders. Perhaps designedly,
Perhaps-so many observers believe
the apparent vacillation Is part Of a
carefully planned policy of confound-
ing the other nations.
When the Ethiopian conflict broke
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