Evening star., 1937-07-04
RY CONSTANTINE BROWN.

eliS llloSl pdllol UIl OllS
Spanish coast. Henceforth the die
tatorShipS will do their own patrolling
Italian and German merchantmen
will be conveyed in and out of the
Mediterranean by their own memo of
war. The Italian and German COM
manders of war vessels have orders
to protect the commercial ships fly
ing their national colors with all the
might at their disposal and to brook
no interference from any quarter.
The significance of these orders is
that the ships of these two powers
carrying war materials or volunteers
to Gen. Francisco Franco must not
be lnterfered with by the patrolline
vessels of any other power. Thus. the
first practical test of the much
trumpeted collective security" has
ended in lamentable failure.
The uneasiness felt in Europe over
this new and unexpected situation has
been clearly expressed by Britain's
new prime minister, Neville Chamber.
lain. and, with discretion, by Belgian
Premier van Iceland in his private
conversations with President Roosevelt
and Secretary Hull.
There is no doubt that somebody
wants to throw monkey wrench into
the efforts Of those nations who wish
to avoid another international ca
tastrophe. ITS the Germans" say
the representatives. of the Loyalist
government in Spain. Its the Rus
slams" answers Berlin They are the
only people who have an interest in
the propagation of a world revolution
and they realize that this is not posi-
BILE without another general war, in
which all the principal nations of the
world must be involved"
Cause of Present Crisis.
The present crisis was brought
about by the alleged attempt of an
unknown submarine to torpedo the
German cruiser Leipzig while she
was doing patrol duty in the Mediter-
fanean, not far from the French port
Of Oran.
The German government alleges
fhat It's war vessels resumed their
international obligations on June ID
under the London agreement of
March, 1887. On June Is. the officers
and the crew of the Leipzig noticed
the usual track which a torpedo makes
on water when it is fired from a
submarine. The commander of the
Leipzig. however, managed to man.
euver the ship so as to avoid the
deadly missile. On June 49, while still
IN the Mediterra mean. the ship felt
shock. Divers discovered the hull
was damaged. probably from being
fammed by submarine. The Leip-
zig is light cruiser with superficial
Rrmor.
The German government made i'm
mediate representations in London
demanding that the vessels of the
four powers make a demonstration
before Valencia, the temporary capital
OF the Loyalist government, and that
solemn warning be sent to that gov
ernment that such attacks against
ships of powers endeavoring to term
mate the civil war would be drasticallv
avenged. The British and the French
governments refused to consider the
proofs produced by the German gov
eminent that a Spanish Loyalist sub
marine had been involved in the Incl
dent, nor was it convinced that the
Leipzig had even been attacked. The
German accusations against the VAL
encla government were predicated on
N{ alir
marine had attacked the Leipzig. It
could not have been a craft belonging
TO the patrolling powers, nor one be-
longing to their ally, Gen Franco.
Hence, it must have been a Loyalist
Vessel-or maybe Soviet ship.
This is the background of an Incl
dent which caused many a sick head
ache for European and American
statesmen.
Incident Declared Closed.
The German government made 1t
known in European capitals and in
Washington that the incident was
closed by its irrevocable departure
from the international patrol. But.
said German representatives abroad.
the German government henceforth
considers itself free to take any uni
lateral action in the event of a SINH
lar incident provoked by the Spanish
Loyalists or their allies
This determination created so much
apprehension that Prime Minister
Chamberlain and Secretary Eden were
compelled to sound note of warning
In the House of Commons regarding
the dangers of another confederation
In Europe.
The real cause of the present ten
sion is to be found, not in superficial
incidents inevitable in a situation
such AS exists in Spain, but in the
internal difficulties of France and
Russia.
In Germany, despite the indispu-
table reign OF Chancellor Hitler, there
are two schools Of political thought.
The conservative is represented by
Foreign Secretary Won Neurath, Min
lister OF National Economy Schacht
and Field Marshal Won Blombere
They are advising the Reichsfuehrel
W. pioSSIu SduClouSly Will IllS plans
for push toward the East and avoid
at any cost, break with Great Brit
ain. Until recently they, too, believed
that despite the splendid preparation
OF the Reich's army, the might OF
p France-economic and military-and
the powerful Russian army would
make a German victory somewhat
doubtful. Blomberg who visited Lon
don during the coronation, came back
to Berlin charmed with the reception
given him by the British He joined
the chorus OF the others in urging
that Neurath be sent to London tc
talk over with the British the pos
sibility Of some sort of an understand
ing.
GOering Leads Hot Heads"
Opposed to this conservative group
were Gen. Goering, Minister of Propa-
ganda Goebbels. Streicher and other
"hnt heads" For time If coeu, ad