Evening star., 1937-11-28
HITLER PRESSING
APPOINT PROGRAM
Activity Since Simon-Eden
Visit in 1885 Impresses
British Heavily.
BY RALPH w. BARNES.

bERL1N, NOV. 21.-FOllOWlng the
Exploratory talks" which Sir John
Simon, home secretary, and For
eign Minister Anthony Eden had with
Reichsfuehrer Adolf Hitler in Berlin
in March, 1885, Sir John told the
House of Commons that conversations
had revealed "a serious difference Of
opinion between the two countries.
Reporting this week to the same body
on the new series of such talks which
Viscount Halifax had in Berlin and
Berchtesgaden with Der Fuehrer and
other Nazi leaders, Prime Minister
Neville Chamberlain said:
Il am satisfied that the visit has
been valuable in furthering a desire
which I believe to be generally felt
in most countries for the establish
ment of closer mutual understanding"
At this writ gnfull information
as to the contents of the report which
Lord Halifax submitted to Mr. Cham
berlain on his return from the mission
to the Reich is not available. The
Prime Minister'S statement to the
House was reserved and yet it ap-
peared to indicate that London and
Berlin are appreciably closer to
point at which understanding will be
possible than they were two and half
years ago. Developments in the next
few days promise to show that if such
is the case, it is due primarily to a
shift in viewpoint on the part of
London.
Not Inactive Last ~ Years.
Chancellor Hitler has waited two
and a half years, but during that pc
riod he has not been inactive. Since
March, 1885, when Sir John Simon
and Anthony Eden left the German
capital in different directions but in
equally detected moods, Der Fuehrer
has rushed to the fulflllment of a
program which could not fail to make
a deep impression on the British
people and its government.
Leaving aside the question of con-
solldation of political power which it
provides, that program can be sum-
married roughly under four points:
First. The restoration of the Ger
man Army with the establishment of
such accessories as the air force-at
the time of the visit of Simon and
Eden the new German fighting ma
chine was still in the embryo stage
Second. The closure of the western
frontiers by the military occupation
and fortification of the Rhineland
area.
Third. The Inauguration of the
four-year plan for economic self
sufficiency which, in essence, is an
industrial and agricultural mobiliza-
ton program resulting from Ger
many's experiences with the throttling
blockade of the World War.
Fourth. The development of sys-
tenn OF alliances" and friendships as,
for example, the Rome-Berlin axis,
and the Toxic, Berlin and Rome anti
Comintern pact.
German Army Influential.
To consider the first point, the Ger
man Army stands today as one of the
most important factors in the con-
temporary European scene. No single
move is made by European power
without some reference. conscious or
unconscious, to its existence.
In sense the re-occupation of the
Rhlne area and the subsequent con-
structlon there of defense works are
corollaries to the conscription procla-
matlon under which Herr Hitler for
mally restored the German fighting
machine. When next week the French
foreign minister Yvon Delbos, begins
his tour of the capitals of Frances
allies, he must go with a realization
that French troops are no longer in a
position to invade the Rhineland with
ease; that thus the power of Paris
70 bring effective support to Poland
and Czechoslovakia, for example. in
case of German invasion in those
quarters has been seriously reduced.
AS for the third point, although full
implications of the four-ye plan are
not clear, 1t promises to put every pos
eiole material resource of the Reich
In readiness for utilization by mill
tary high command in case of war,
Alliance Is Uncertain.
No one knows how long Herr Hit
Ter and Premier Benito Mussolini will
be able to stay together. 1t is suffi-
cient to say that what is dubbed the
'Ron1e-Berlin axis" appears for the
present to be the most effective COM
bination in Europe The stagecraft
OF Der Fuehrer and II Duce stands out
IN brilliant relief against the dull metal
OF the French and British leaderships.
even though in the end it may appear
ehat all that glitters is not gold"
(Copyright. 1887, by New York Tribune.
Inc)