Evening star., 1938-03-27
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.

AN/ This is the anxious interroga-
ton of every foreign ONCE in
the world today.
Austria has been annexed, and Czecho-
slovakia's nazification is expected within
the next few weeks What is in the minds
Of the dictators Mussolini and Hitler?
Where will they expand? Will it be- as
Hitler indicated, in Mein Kampf, toward
the fertile fields Of the Ukraine and the
still untapped mineral deposits of the
Donetz, the Kuban, Georgia and Azerbai-
jan? Or will Germany and Italy take ad-
vantage OF the present Generalization of
the democracies and attempt the grand
coup"-the conquest of the North African
colonies? For the time being, it appears
that the program outlined in Germany's
new bible will be followed
Pistol-pont marriages" are becoming the
fashion in European diplomacy The Pol
ish government followed the mode last
week when, with force of 100000 men on
the Lithuanian border, it demanded
friendly relations" from the Lithuanians.
Before such convincing arguments as mo-
torized divisions, some $50 airplanes and
frantic public demanding war at any cost,
the cabinet and the Parliament at Kaunas
accepted Poland's demand for immediate
resumption of diplomatic relations which
were broken off after the occupation of
Wilma by the Poles l8 years ago.
Whether Lithuania is out of danger or
not, only time will tell. However, another
friend Of Russia on the German-Polish
'border has had to accept the terms of the
dictators, and another barbed wire fence
has been added to the steel ring which is
surrounding Russia. But the ring will not
be completed until Czechoslovakia Is also
politically absorbed
Another Marriage Offer.
In the next few weeks, European observ-
ers say the Central European republic will
be presented with similar pistol-point
marriage offer. Preliminary conversations
have already started in Berlin and in
Prague. The Czechoslovak Minister in the
Reichs capital is being summoned fire.
quently to the German foreign office and
Henlein and his acolytes are talking loudly
and freely in Prague and in the Czech
Chamber
From these conversations it appears that
the Fuehrer does not intend to absorb
Czechoslovaka as he did Austria, for two
important reasons: CD He realizes that
the Czechoslovaks will fight to the last man
against complete annexation by the Reich.
And Germany wants to save her military
power for a more important objective. (2)
Hitler wants Reich with no minority prob
lens and no foreign blood. Out Of popu-
lation Of 100000 there are only $500, 900
Germans in Czechoslovakia. The incor-
poration of over 100000 non-Germans
into the Reich would destroy the 100 per
cent Germanic empire.
But Czechoslovakia is important to the
Reich not only because it completes the
Nazification of Europe east of the Rhine.
but also because it is vital passage to the
Ukraine and the rest of Southern Russia
Hitler wants a nominally independent
Czechoslovakia which will think and act in
complete harmony with Berlin.
Two Solutions Weighed.
Two solutions are being weighed at the
present moment. The first one is the res
ignation of President Penes, the abrogation
and the establishment of federal state to
replace the present Czechoslovak republic
In this new federal state Hitler will demand
that the German minorities shall be ade-
quately represented by men like Henlein
and his close collaborators holding key po-
sitions in the reorganized cabinet. Henlein
will become another Seysz-Inquart, with
his office in Prague and direct telephone
line to the Offices of Goering and Goebbels
in Berlin. The Berlin suggestion offered
eight months ago-that the constitution be
revised to set up cantonal system giving
the three principal nationalities which form
the republic their complete autonomy-is
no longer considered satisfactory.
A second solution is the incorporation Of
Reich. Czechoslovakia, deprived of her
mountain barrier and important industrial
centers, could survive as an independent
republic, but she would have to join the
German-1talian economic bloc. She would
also be required, of course, to give up all
political ties with the u S. S. R.
Despite the declarations of Premier Blum
and Foreign Minister Paul-Boncour, de-
spite the storm Of indignation which the
Austrian annexation has caused in Great
Britain, despite the violent criticism against
Premier Chamberlain's realism and the ap-
parent ascendancy of the interventionists
Anthony Eden, Lloyd George and Winston
Churchill, neither President Benes nor
Premier Hodza has exaggerated illusions
as to what the big democracies can do for
the small republic in Central Europe They
know that Great Britain will not fight to
defend Czechoslovakia from NaN inf1ltra-
ton And If Britain remains just sym
pathetic onlooker" there is not the slightest
possibility that France will come to the aid
of her last ally In what used to be the Little
Entente.
More Than Wanted
Under the circumstances 1t is expected
that the Nazincation of Czechoslovakia will
be more or less painless operation. What
ever the modality adopted is immaterial
But London, Paris and Washington are as
certain it will happen as that night follows
day.
In fact, the French government has
ceased to be worried about the fate Of
Czechoslovakia, toward whom 1t feels like