Evening star., 1937-09-27
Europe Plays Poker.

International politics has been called
oy many names-few Of them harsher
IMAM 1t deserves. But poker is the
description most applicable to the game
IN progress across the Atlantic this week.
The participants-Great Britain, France.
Italy and Germany-are playing for
nigh stakes, representing nothing less
than supremacy in Europe, though the
Jackpot for which they are Immediately
contending is peace in Spain, or at least
an agreement which will once and for
all localize the Loyalist -insurgent con-
1llct and Danish further danger of its
naming into a general connagration.
While Old World rivalries and interests
are primarily concerned, events in the
Far East are by no means unrelated to
the bluftlng and calling of hands now
going on. A showdown, which may
determine whether the democracies can
remain at peace with the Fascist autoc-
racies, should speedily ensue, provided
the gamesters are nerved to lay their
cards on the table
The European poker match sets In
amid tacit admission by all contestants
that nobody desires war. How to get
what each of them wants at the least
possible sacrifice-taking as much as 1t
can and giving only what it must-is
the underlying objective. AS the open-
ing play, Britain and France invite italy
to tripartite conference over the Span
1sh crisis. There it will be proposed for
the hundredth time that all foreign
troops be withdrawn from the civil war
zone. If Mussolini continues unrecep-
tive to that idea, guarantees against the
sending OF more volunteers" will be
sought. Should II Duce also be cold tn
that suggestion, France is ready to trot
out pair of aces-a threat to open her
Pyrenees frontier for unrestricted pas
sage of men and munitions into Loyalist
Spain, thus neutralizing, and eventually
oyer-matching. Italian reinforcements
for Franco. The democratic associates
possess other high cards. Their fleets
bestride the Mediterranean in over
whelming force. They are in position to
make things exceedingly uncomfortable
for Italy in Mare Nostrum." 1t was
Mussolini's son-in-law, Foreign Minister
Ciano, who only recently pointed out
that Britain and France could exist
without the middle sea, while for Italy
1t Is life or death.
While Germany has latterly exhibited
a GOODNESS bordering on utter indiffer-
ence toward the fate of Spain, Mussoini
is certain to discuss fervently with Hit
Ter during their current confabulation
in Berlin whether he should pass, see
or raise. 1t may be that der Fuehrer
will advise the maintenance of bluning
tactics, whereby, as exemplified by the
submarine piracy scare in the Mediter-
ranean, frances Fascist allies keep the
Western powers so preoccupied in
European waters that John Bull did not
dare to dispatch so much as a single
destroyer to strengthen British naval
power in Asia or show the lions teeth
even when that once ferocious king OF
the international jungle had its tail
nearly twisted of by Japan.
Both Hitler and Mussolini crave Brit
ish friendship-the Nazis, with . view
to restoration OF Germany's colonies
and support for their eastern European
expansion plans; the Fascists because
their obsessing nightmare is the posi-
bility of Britain's closing the Mediter-
ranean at Gibraltar and Alden. In light
of these imponderables, which include
the $500, 900 900 British rearmament
program, most of the blue chips in the
great poker game would seem to be on
the democratic side OF the table. But
even poker players armed with piles OF
indigo counters have gone broke because
their nerve failed them 1t vital moments.