Evening star., 1937-12-19

accounting. In what condition do we find
the world today? What progress toward
peace or war has been made during the last
Ia months?
One OF the most important tendencies
we must note is the growing disregard for
international law. All kinds of infringe
ments of the code of nations have been
committed in both Europe and Asia. In
times past. such deeds would almost GER
tainly have led to general conflict Today,
however, there exists, nearly everywhere, q
tacit determination to call by the name of
peace what is in fact, state of war
Japanese armies are let loose in China;
yet the government of Nanking does not
recall its Ambassador from Toxic. Four
divisions of Italian troops go to the assist
ance Of the Spanish rebels; nevertheless,
the legal government of Spain has not for
mally declared war upon Italy, and other
powers, vitally interested in Spanish affairs,
still pretend to cooperate with the Fascist
government of Rome in system of nom
Intervention.
However, during the course of the year
there have been several occasions when
Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler seemed
about to take bold steps which could not
have been overlooked or minimized and
would not have failed to bring about
European confagration.
For instance: Last January a council of
war was held at Hitlers country seat; it
was called to decide whether massive rein
forcements" should be dispatched to the
Spanish zone of Morocco and to the Span
ish Peninsula The advice of the leaders
OF the Germany Army was in the negative
Two days before the German Ambassador
In Paris had been warned that the landing
OF German contingents in Spanish Morocco
would not leave France any choice as to
the counter-action to be taken Immediately:
The Spanish zone would have to be seized
without further delay.
II Duce Holds Fire.
Last June Mussolini was within an ace
OF ordering Barcelona to be sheled by units
OF the Italian Navy. Such a move could
not have been dismissed as of minor impor-
tance, as the shellng of Almeria by the
German fleet had been dismissed lust a
short time before. The whole system of
non-lntervention would have been killed
on the spot. But on second thought, the
Duce did not strike
In December, 1896, Soviet Russia in
structed submarines of the Red Fleet to
escort to Spain the vessels flying her flag,
As several Russian ships had been sunk
during previous weeks Henceforward, any
new attack was to be repelled by force. On
the energetic representations of the French
government, authorities in Moscow re-
scinded the order
Last August, merchantmen of various
nations were destroyed, in the Mediterra-
mean, by submersibles and airplanes which,
in most cases, were believed to belong to the
regular forces of Italy. The French and
British governments told their fleets to put
stop to that piracy" and asked the Medi-
terranean powers to meet in Nyon and give
them the mandate to protect maritime traf-
nc, in addition to their practical assistance.
italy vainly endeavored to boycott the con-
ference and then made up her mind to
submit.
Again Checks Action.
Last September, as he labored under a
deep sense of humiliation at the outcome
Of the Conference of Nyon, Benito Musso-
lini had new expeditionary force recruited
in Italy. He intended to throw it into the
Spanish civil war in order to bring it
speedily to q successful issue. But so far
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step. Information has been published to
the effect that Of late Italian infantry has
been withdrawn from the peninsula in
large numbers These reports have not
been confirmed; but all signs are that
italian troops are now being concentrated
in Libya, not in Spain.
Last May, when the Russian generals
were put to death, there were many indi-
cations that Adolf Hitler and COL Beck, Po-
lands foreign minister, we're anxiously
watching the crisis of the Stain dictator
ship. For some months they had known
what was coming on and they had believed
that revolution was about to break out
In Russia. Such an event would provide
them with chance to put into operation
their plans for territorial and political
expansion.
But weeks and months have passed by,
the Stain dictatorship continues and
neither the German nor the Polish govern
ment has found the opportunity to go
ahead. On the contrary, the Polish dicta-
torship now has to contend with serious in
ternal endorsements
In the same way, the diplomatic and
journalistic German onslaughts against
C0echoSlovakia and Austria have not so
far-although very violent in themselves
been pushed beyond certain point. How
ever, the reaf1rmation and extension to
italy, in November, of the anti-communist
pact testifies that Germany claims as the
right, for the future, to interfere more dras-
tically in the internal affairs of those two
Danubian states.
~ Gun Loaded Ind Aimed.
Thus, the threat of an international rup-
ture has not materialized. The gun is
heavily loaded and set to its aim; the trig-
ger has not been pulled. Why? German
and italian mobilizations are complete in
q military and in an economic sense. Are
We to believe that those tense' mobilizations
are an end in themselves, and not means
toward an end-war?
Here Is the answer:
Germany and Italy are, figuratively, on
short rations. They are deficient In raw
materials and foodstuffs They lack the
gold and foreign currencies that would
make it possible for them to buy supplies
In adequate quantities and do away with
the barter system. So long as they keep
sane thoughts in their heads, neither die
tator can, as consequence, consider plung-
ing into war that would last say, more
than six months.
Adolf Hitler could, tomorrow, strike q
very hard blow at the French nation, on
the strength of Germany's present prepara-
tons. He could send air fleets to lombard
Paris and Prague, have several thousand
people killed outright and spread consterna-
tion among the surrounding multitudes
But he does not dare infer from this that
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