Evening star., 1937-10-03
HITLER HOLDS THE KEYS
TO EUROPE AND ORIENT
Placating Germany in Demands for Lost
Lands Could Put Brakes on
TOkiO's War Machine.

There are definite indications that
MuSsolini and Hitler have considered
jumping on the Western bandwagon to
stop Japan before it is too late. pro-
vided the British and the French show
genuine inclination to satisfy Hit
ler's claims. reiterated at the Nurem-
berg Nazi gathering. that colonies
taken away from Germany after the
war must be returned to her. The
excuse given to the world at large for
taking away the colonies from the
Reich after the last war has been
that the German people were not fit
to rule helpless and backward nations.
If, after the developments Of the
last two months, Japan is still entitled
to the mandates which were given her
after the World War, there is no doubt
that Germany is fully capable Of TAX
ink care Of the colored people of
Africa.
1t is true that the same meeting
OF the National Socialist party the
Reichfuehrer also announced the un-
dying love of Germany for all nations
fighting communism. This, Of course,
included Japan. But that is merely
a parallelism of interests. And such
parallelism is only temporary and can
be changed overnight.
Any direct gesture toward a genuine
reconciliation of interests with the
French and the British would have
Mussolini's unhesitating approval
Consequently the extremely grave stu
alton in Europe might substantially
improve if basis for an understand
ing between France, Great Britain,
Italy and Germany can be found.
Hitler Holds Two Keys.
The fact that the British foreign
office decided to send severe note to
Toxic following, by only 48 hours. the
equally drastic note presented to the
Toxic government by United States
Ambassador Joseph Grew, is inter-
preted here as an indication that in
recent days some concrete approach to
Hitler has been made on the part of
the British government. AS in Europe,
Hitler holds the key to the Far East
ern situation.
The British foreign Office and the
admiralty have told United States rep
resentativeS in London and here that
as long as the Mediterranean situa-
ton continues to remain as tense as it
has been lately; as long as Hitler re-
mains Japan's supporter and is pre-
pared to jump on Russia's back should
the Siberian air force make a "pirati-
caf' raid on Toxic, there is not one
chance IN thousand of moving a sim
gle British battleship or a single de-
stroyer division out of European waters
to the Far East. At present the Brit
lsh Asiatic fleet is three cruisers short,
and the admiralty will not risk weak
ening its Mediterranean feet to re-
inforce that Far Eastern SQUADRON.
Nor can the air ministry add one wing
to the British air forces now in the
Orient
May Unbridle Russia.
That is why Downing street has ap-
peared to be so patient despite the
obvious provocations Of the Toxic gov
ernment. If any serious attempt is
made to placate the Germans, it will |
not indicate a desire on the part of |
Great Britain to extinguish the flames |
In Europe in order to start another |
IRE in the Far East. The thought be-
hind such a contemplated gesture is |
to take from Japan the friend who is |
supposed to cover" Russia. Then 1t |
is hoped that Nippon. recognizing the
dangers Of single-handedness in her
adventure, will call halt to the ruth
less war she has been waging against
the Chinese people for the last six |
years.
Public opinion in Europe, and par
tlcularly in England, has been slow
to wake up. To the average European
Japan is much father removed politi-
cally than is Europe from the United
States. But within the past week the
British seem to have become aware of
the fact that their stake in the Far
East is possibly of greater significance
10 the empire than their European in
terests. The same forces which made
the British government take a strong
though unfortunate, position in the
Ethiopian conflict are now beginning
to work against Japan.
Unless European diplomats are
cavortlng in the sport of pulling wool
over each others eyes-as they have
done in the past-there is a real chance
that under the growing menace from
the Far East the European nations
may set aside their quarrels-foi a
while at least.
tCopyright 1Q31l