The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-02-22
CZECHOSLOVAKIA
 NEXT TO CRASH
Continued from Page l)

NCOuUllu6Q ITOul rage U
 out after the World War to circle Germany with steel. The years have broken and weakened that circle, and the outstanding factor in the present diplomatic situation is that Germany's restIrance has smashed Franco-British influence on the continent.
 How will he go about his attempt to smash the circlep Probably through the same technique he used in his coup in Austria - Q threat of force and then, possibly, Modification of the government.
 Hitler is aware that France has made six solemn reaffirmations on the necessity of maintaining Aus trian independence. Yet, when the hour of decision arrived last week, France stood by while Hitler pene- trated Austria. That penetration will continue for it is significant that the Fuehrer's Reichstag speech on Sunday was barren of any pledge of Austrian independence.
 Poland, Hungary Agreeable
 His move against Czeclioslovakia will not lack moral support and it may win active aid from both Po- land and Hungary. Both nations have stake in Czechoslovakia. The men at Versailles who erased the boundaries of middle Europe and drew ones dictated that Czechoslo- vakia should be 8 nation of at least six tongues and five races. There are 80,000 Poles in Czechoslovakia and 690,000 HungarianS.
 Despite this jig-saw puzzle of races the Czechs gloried in the establish ment of autonomy and Woodrow Wilson, who helped them attain it, is almost 8 patron saint to them.
 There has been a long and wordy war against Czechoslovakia in the Polish and Hungarian press. Both borders are uneasy. Endless diplo- matlc exchanges occurr over the al- legation that Czechoslovakia dis eliminates against those of Polish and Hungarian blood. That is why Hitler went out of his way in the Reichstag speech to make a special gesture of friendship toward Poland and to refer to Germanys amicable relations with Hungary, Bulgaria and Jugolsavia.
 Recall HitIer's Statement
 If Hitlers penetration of Czecho- slovakia sounds fantastic to Amer ican readers they have but to recall statements that Hitler made in 1920 when he was an obscure head of a political party instead of the domi- nant ruler of Europe. At that time he listed 20-point program-a sort of political platform it would be called in the United States and promised to put it into effect the moment he won his way to power. He had to wait 13 years, but in the five years after he has made good, in whole or in part, on IT of those 20 points. The start of his absorp- tion of Austria and his announce ment of protectorate over the Ger mans living in CZechoSlovakia is part of that program.
 I recall an interview I had with Hitler in Munich year before he got into power. At that time he list ed IA points that he intended to ein- force. At that time few believed he ever would rule Germany much less put into effect a program that seem- ed to me to be unattainable. Today 12 of those points are in force, and during the interview one of them seemed to me to be more visionary than his ambition to dominate mil- lions of Germans living in other countries.
 Austrian Coup Schedule
 Observers here believe Hitler had worked out definite schedule for the Austrian coup and had been planning to execute it in March. But after the army purge" and the shake-up in the Reich diplomatic corps he decided to proceed imme- diately. He probably thought the coup would be useful smoke screen for his purge" and would distract domestic and world attention from what he was doing to the high com mand of the army. His strategy ap- parently succeeded.
 The part of it which is still ob- scure is what Premier MuSSolin got in exchange for keeping out of the Austrian affair and for maintaining trict attorney and acting district at torney, MT. Leary is personally re- sponsible for all overdrafts of city appropriations, during his tenure of