Evening star., 1936-01-01

In that part OF Europe there are
tuo equally disturbing possibilities
today. Either Mussolini does not
yield and the League applies the
strictest kind OF sanctions. Uhich
DiH lead to a ,Udr, or, faced trtth a
long and costly campaign in Ethi-
opia and rith the possibility OF
udr Without any chance OF victory
against the League popers. II Duce
yields. Such abdicdtion wiH be fol-
lomed by period OF chaos in Italy.
Which may spread oper other parts
OF Europe. Revolutions are con-
tcgiOus diseases.
Two countries are likely to benefit
from the present European turmoil:
Germany in Europe and Japan in Asia.
Both hope to build new empire for
themselves out of the debris OF the
old world.
Germany is following a most care
full foreign policy. Hitler is sitting
on the fence and has decided to join
neither camp. He hates the League
and all it stands for and distrusts
Mussolini, who has been blocking his
plans in Central Europe for the last
three years.
Der Fuehrer is fully aware Of his
tremendous power and intends to play
his cards carefully
Until a few months ago, when he
was not quite sure Of the might OF
the Reich, he was arrogant, almost
menacing in his attitude toward
Great Britain and France.
Now he has abandoned this atti-
tude and has become merely conde-
scending. He knows that all that
Germany wants, Central Europe, the
Ukraine. some of the lost colonies.
are within his reach provided he can
wait.
He is now friendly toward the
French and the British Ambassadors,
who cannot we'll conceal the anxiety
Of their governments to get Germany
back into the League and thus tie her
hands to certain rules and regulations
which the German dictator does not
want to accept.
He treasures magnanimously these
diplomats that the Reich has no in
tention to attack France provided she
does not interfere with his Eastern
policies. He does not hint. He speaks
plainly. To Francois Poncet, the
French Ambassador at Berlin, he says:
"Alsace and Lorraine do not interest
me. You have taken them back and
can keep them. But cannot enter
into any kind of a pact with you as
long as you have chosen the Russians
as your allies. Drop them and we can
talk business" Then, to show what
tremendous rearmament resources
Germany has at her disposal, he COM
plains to the same Ambassador that
he has been too easy on the British
in regard to Germany's share in naval
ornaments. THE British have out
smarted me when agreed to accept
only 4oo. 900 tons of ships. shall not
icpcdt tlidt iuNIdhC, W NC sure. AIlQ
then his spokesmen inform the world
that Der Fuehrer has told the British
and the French that Germany is
building an aviation equal to the best
in Europe.
This attitude of Hitler is easy to
understand. If there is a war between
the League powers and Italy, the lat
ter will be defeated and thus the last
bulwark against pam -Germanism in
Central and Eastern Europe will dis
appear. BI: such war will weaken
the other powers to such an extent
that they will no longer be In a posi-
ton a few years hence to oppose the
demands OF the Reich, which, by that
time, will have powerful military
and air machine and a pretty efficient
navy.
9 On the ruins of what used te1se
tae concert OF European posDeSs