Evening star., 1938-09-25

TINE question Of war and peace in Eu-
rope hinges on what the reply Of the
Czechoslovak government will be to
the latest and final demands Of
Adolf Hitler regarding the timing Of the
occupation OF the Sudetenland by German
forces.
Herr Hitler has informed Chamberlain,
according to reliable reports received in
Washington diplomatic quarters, that the
entire Sudetenland must pass into German
hands not later than October 2. Should
this not happen, the Fuehrer has informed
the French and the British governments,
German armed forces would march into
Czechoslovakia to occupy the regions in
habited by German speaking people.
Firm Against Outright Seizure.
The Czechoslovak government seems to
stand firm on the thesis that while it does
not withdraw it's willingness to surrender
the Sudetenland, this must happen only
after an international commission has de-
limited the new boundaries. When this is
done, the Germans can proceed to a peace
full occupation of the contested districts.
President Benes and his new Prime Min
lister, Gen. Jan Syrovy. are reported to
stand firm In this thesis. They see no rea-
son for any precipitate action on the part
Of the Reich from the moment the Prague
government yielding to the pressing re-
quests Of London and Paris has given its
consent to let it, German speaking citizens
join the Reich.
The danger Of a war is still grave No
body in Europe or in this country knows
what tomorrow may bring. Armies are
being rapidly modified for any emergency
These are merely precautionary measures"
say the official communicates But they are
drafted in the same spirit as at the end
Of July, 1914.
Eyes on Developments Abroad.
In Washington President Roosevelt and
his associates have set aside national poll
tics and are concentrating on European
developments. 1t happens that at the
present time our diplomatic representation
in Europe is in the hands of exceptionally
able men. William Bullitt in Paris is an
oSuLC OIoClNCI dllu ullucl SIdlluS WIldU Is ROs
ing on better than most ambassadors We
have had in the French capital for many
years. Joseph Kennedy in London has a
keen political and business sense Further
more, he has the complete confidence of
the British government and has had enough
political experience to separate the chaff
from the wheat. In Berlin the representa-
tion is less brilliant, but Ambassador Hugh
Wilson is trained observer who can re-
port intelligently and without bias. which
is more than previous ambassadors in the
capital Of the Reich have been able to do.
In Prague, Sofia, Bucharest, Belgrade,
Rome and Moscow, there are career men
who know how to listen. Their reports are
as accurate as can be expected from men
who are honored guests in a foreign coun-
try. Added to these official sources there
are reliable reports conveyed to the admin
istration, either directly or through the
local diplomatic missions, by American busi-
ness men who for years have been engaged
in active private business in various coun-
tries in Europe and who have their ears
close to the ground through exceptional
contacts
"War Is Inevitable Because :"
All these officials and private individuals
tell Washington the same thing: War is
inevitable because of the German ambition
to dominate Europe. 1t is less a question
of the regime under which the Sudeten
Cyernoanc u-i11 hov 1;,el y,
the Czechs and the Slovaks for centuries
than the avowed purpose of the German
government to subdue Czechoslovakia and
eliminate the last obstacle which stands in
the way of the realization of their great
dream of "the German Empire extending
from the Baltic to the North Sea-"
The Czechs, who have suffered under the
domination of another Germanic govern
ment-the Austrian Empire, have decided
to defend the freedom they have enjoyed
for the past 20 years at any price, even
though that be another world war. Behind
them is now France and Great Britain,
which have done their utmost to avoid
new world catastrophe. And in the back
ground looms Moscow, whence no dramatic
though the Soviet armies have been pre-
pairing in silence Observers report that
army corps are being modified in the
Ukraine on the Rumanian and Polish bor-
ders; that food is being stored by the Soviet
government "for any emergency" and that
at least $500 planes are concentrated, at
the time this article is written, along the
borders of the Dniester.
Moscow's Motive Is Intervention.
Those who have observed closely enig-
matte Russia say that Stain will not waver
for fraction of second to intervene with
every means at his disposal in favor of
Czechoslovakia should German troops enter
the small nations territory. The u S. S. r.
is not impelled by the motive which brought
Czarist Russia into the last war-the desire
to save Slav nation, Serbia, from the
clutches Of Austrian imperialism. There is
more profound and dangerous impetus
behind Moscow's determination to Jump
into the affray as soon as the death dance
starts.
While the outside world has been judging
Russia in the light of the developments of
the past five years, when she returned to
the concert of capitalistic powers, most
diplomats and statesmen say that though
the communistic tendencies Of the Moscow
government have disappeared except in
form and Russia has evolved Just like
France after the bloody 1889 revolution, the
real purpose of the Stain government Is