Evening star., 1937-12-19
Year Emphasizes Fate of Peace
: Hinges on Whims of Dictators
European Observer Sees Restless Fingers on
Trigger With Mussolni More
Disposed to Fire

But. during the last two years, Czechoslo-
vakla'S defensive power has developed
immensely. The President of the republic,
Eduard Benes, devotes practically all his
time to the final preparation of the forti-
ned lines along the border and of the army
which would have to hold them.
Rumania Arms.
In addition, Czechslovakia now contrib
utes. out of her own resources, the huge
Skoda works, etc. to the rearmament of
Rumania-to an even greater degree than
France does. The direct railway connec-
tion between the two countries is now COM
piete Rumania is being turned into mill
tary hinterlard of Czechoslovakia.
In these circumstances, to overwhelm
CzecnSloVakla would take Germany much
more than week end Besides, the Ger
man ruler can no longer entertain any
doubt as to Frances resolution to fulfill her
nlnIary oolgatlons to her eastern associate
Last year, Leon Blum managed to have
Adolf Hitler fully enlightened and warned
on the subject. And quite recently it was
made clear that the French Army would
move forward even If Germany camou-
haged her help to an insurrection of the
Sudetan Germans by merely sending vol
oiieCClo W lllelT rescue.
The French Army, of course, could not
be expected to cut across Germany SO as
to join hands with allied Czechoslovakia.
Probably it would not even succeed in
overpoWering the Notifications which, by
now, have been erected in the once demili-
tarized Rhineland. But the higher COM
mand is confident that it would be able to
keep busy by far the major part of the
German forces. 1t would achieve even
more-a great deal more-if Belgium would
discard, her new status of free neutrality"
and allow the fight against the aggressor
to proceed over her territory.
Young France Efficient.
The French Army, after three years Of
intensive work, has been turned into a
formidable war machine The spirit of the
young generation of soldiers is beyond all
praise: am told that the regiments in the
eastern districts, which draw most of their
recruits from the popular classes in Paris,
make themselves conspicuous by their en-
thusiasm and efficiency. AS regards in
fantry armament and tanks, the French
Army enjoys distinct superiority and,
contrary to current reports, its artillery can
meet the German guns on virtually equal
terms; 1T will surpass them once sthe new
models have been built. The manufacture
OF these had to be delayed until the ma
terlal turned out on the German side from
1884 onward had become fully known. and
this Gid not happen before the beginning
OF last year. The Maginot system of forth
fcations stands as an impAssable barrier.
TO sum uE no shining victory. would
be won on the battlefield but, very soon,
Germany would find herself effectively
blockaded, as the British Empire is COM
mitted. under me Geneva Covenant, to
join at least in the enforcement or eco
nomlc sanctions, Germany's already in
adequate imports of raw materials and
foodstuffs would be cut of.
Those military prospects will obtain as
long as Germany has not defeated Soviet
Russia Hence the sustained effort of Ger
man policy to propagate the opinion that
communism ranks first of all interna-
tional dangers, that Western nations are
foolish not to recognize this fact and con-
sequently to end their resistance to pan
Germanism
Hitler Hopeful Diplomatically.
The aim of German diplomacy is to sup
press all links between Western Europe, on
the one side, and Central and Eastern
Europe. on the other. Hitler endeavors to
keep Mussolini under restraint, and urges
him to temporize and move more cau-
tiously. For Hitler does not despair Of
bringing about that fundamental diplo-
matte revolution-and besides, the leaders
OF the Reichswehr consider that the risk of
a prolonged war cannot be safely incurred
To persuade Great Britain to give up col
lective security" and, in that manner, COM
pei France to abandon her connection
with Poland, Czechoslovakia and Soviet
Russia, such as Adolf Hitler's dominant
thought when he met Lord Halifax last
month
But how shall we account for the fact
that Benito Mussolini moves less guardedly
than his German partner and that, but for
Germany's veto, he probably would already
have precipitated a general war? Most
competent foreign observers agree that he
alone, in the whole of Europe, behaves as
though supreme trial Of strength had
no terrors.
This can be said: The Duce, following
his triumph in Abyssinia, has become q
confirmed gambler. He is afraid lest
Germany should be lucky enough to solve,
peacefully and to her advantage, the prob
lens of Central Europe, while he himself
would be left with empty hands to face, in
the Mediterranean, Great Britain's steadily
growing rearmament. His goal cannot be
ignored; he believes that he can wrest from
France the empire of Northern Africa. On
the face of things, such an undertaking
could be carried out only through warfare.
But the probabilities are that, in the back
OF his mind, Mussolini has formed very
peculiar idea Of what the sequence of
events might be.
Sees Democracy's Nerve Gone.
He starts on the assumption that the
two great Western nations are morally
decadent that they no longer have the
nerve to withstand q serious menace-that
rather than fight they will surrender or
seek compromise that would approximate
surrender-that they have been entirely
deprived of dynamic power. Through
bringing continuous pressure to bear upon
them he is sure that he will precipitate-
in France, at any rate-the ruin OF par
Iamentary institutions. He has convinced
himself that the seeds Of a Fascist regime
are already terminating in French soil.
He fiatters himself that with the help
Of Fascist French government which
would hail him as the savior and leader Of
European civilization, he would be in a
position to break British power and set
limits to the expansion Of the German
Empire.
That vision of his seems to border upon
madness, yet serious students Of Italian
policy credit him with it. He has come to