Evening star., 1938-10-02
By Thomas r. Henry.

prophesied would be the inevitable result
Yet for fortnight it seemed inevitable.
The nations of Europe were caught in a
current from which there was no escape
q current which was carrying them help
lessly toward the Niagara of death. Two
ideologies were massed against one an
other. There was well-nigh universal
feeling of helplessness.
World Watches and Waits.
For nerve-torturing days and nights the
civilized world watched and waited. A
small, valiant, democratic nation in Gen.
trail Europe was, it seemed, being bullied
by a powerful ruthless nation which
spurned democracy-whose leader, in fact,
thundered to an angry world gratuitous in
suits to democracy. There were treaty obli-
cations to 60 to the aid of that little democ-
racy. There was a still greater sense of
moral obligation. There was fear that II
Germany were allowed to trample over
Czechoslovakia it would be only the begin
ming Of a rampage in which the rest Of the
world also would be crushed under the
spiked boots of the Teuton armies.
And yet-the terrible cost of war, the
millions who would die the destruction of
all things pleasant and good Could any,
thing that might be done help Czecho-
slovakia? Her present generation Of men,
women and children would be crushed to
death. To help her would be to kill her.
1t is curious characteristic Of democracy
that it values men and women and chill
dren, that in its war accounting it sets down
in red ink the cost in human lives and
suffering.
And yet what was to be done about It?
There stood in the way Of reason the small
boy tradition of mankind that it was cow
ardly for nation or an individual to accept
an affront and not fight over It, The turn
of events placed the issue Of peace or war
on the shoulders of one man, the head Of a
democratic state, the 69-year-old Birming-
ham screw manufacturer whom fate had
placed at this critical hour in the position
of Prime Minister Of Great Britain.
Here was the issue which faced Neville
Chamberlain, emerged out of relative OBJ
scurity in decade to bear the burden of
civilizations fate in perhaps the most
critical hour Of human history. He could,
as the world expected of him, act the ira
ditional part. He, acting on behalf of the
British Empire and, as perhaps he realized,
OF all the democracies on earth, could have
def1ed the rampant Germany. It was not
in accordance with tradition to do other
wise. Had he acted as tradition dictated
he was assured Of an enviable immortality,
almost regardless Of the outcome Of his ac-
tions. II he acted against tradition he was
running the risk for himself of the con-
tempt Of history, for Great Britain tre-
mendous loss of prestige, for democracy
perhaps fatal blow.
Balance ON Other Side.
On the other hand million, perhaps
two million, perhaps ten million lives;
ruined cities and wasted countryside; per-
haps the end Of civilizations progress for
thousand years; and such a flood Of sor-
row and tears as the world had not known
before. 1t meant, there was every reason to
believe, not a repetition of the four years
between 1914 and 1918, but succession Of
far more terrible years.
And faced with this alternative the
elderly English business man chose the
heroic way-the risk Of personal disgrace
and national shame rather than the loss Of
civilization and the tears Of mothers. Did
he betray Czechoslovakia? He did not, at
least, betray the mothers and wives of
Czechoslovakia. He did not betray the boys
Of Czechoslovakia who otherwise in . few
weeks would have been rotting in nameless
graves. Did he betray the Jews Of Ger
many and AustriaS He did not betray the
individual Jews atve today who would