Evening star., 1938-09-26

slon ~ 10 NnaC NJ Iavr.~..
will happen this
week are directly related not 50 much
to surface developments but to the
basic problems. Are the clustering
European nations which issue their
partial mobilization orders and their
threats really ready for war? And
are the peoples themselves ready to
nght?
The feeling here has been one of
mounting suspicion that if there were
really to be war. the preparations
would be farther along and the mobil-
isation Of Europe's armies would be
more extensive. What then might lie
baok Of the various diplomatic moves
being made?
The answer which has . certain
plausibility to it is that once there
Is aligned against Hitler 4 definite
number OF nations with a definite
military strength. Germany will not
permit another war. For obviously it
would be foolish for Hitler to risk a
war in which defeat was certain or
. war in which his economic re-
sources would be sapped too soon. If
Hitler were required to deal with
C1Achoslovakia alone, he would take
the chance OF an invasion with the
hope Of acquiring all the territory of
the Czechs.
Duce Has Troubles.
But will the war be localized to
that extent? Plainly Mussolini wants
it localized. He. too, has economic
troubles. He makes speeches with
plenty OF bluster in them but he
voices the hope Of . local war, II any.
Probably no head Of state tn Europe
with the possible exception Of Hitler
h more nervous than Mussolini
Hitler, on the other hand, does not
know at what moment Russia, France,
Britain, Yugoslavia and Rumania will
be aligned against him II he carries
his campaign against the Czechs to
extremes. He can issue, as he has
done, an ultimatum with strong terms
but It Is significant that he gives a
week for it to be considered. The
German general stan Of 1914 would
have told him not to give q weeks
time but to strike at once while the
democracies are houndering.
The very period of negotia ton has
itself proved . disadvantage to Hitler
II he Is really bent on war at any cost,
During that period world opinion has
been mobilised against Hitler BY the
democracies and likewise the slow
moving democracies have had time to
deal with the anu-war sentiment in
their ranks by building up 4 case
against Hitler Is the asgressor. Even
the anti-war groups in England have
been face to face with the fact that
the Chamberlain policy Of nesotia ton
ana concession may not mean peace
but only . temporary truce until the
next Hitler coup d'etat is devised In
Central Europe.
All Power and Authority.
Public opinion will decide the issue
Inside the democratic countries. but
public opinion inside Germany and
Austria will have nothing to say Hitler
has all the power and authority. He.
therefore, makes al the decisions and
must trust to the skill of his diplo.
macy to win . victory without blood.
ehed which would enhance his prestige
o. nome more than the mess of a war.
foe IN wartime guns are put into the
hands OF millions Of people and their
leaders, and sometimes as has proved
true in 1918, they overthrow even their
emperor II they think that's the only
way to get food and clothing and peace.
The allied countries have had 4
preponderant anti-war sentiment tn
deal with. They, too, know that more
var might bring dictatorships in Brit
an ana France and democracy might
temporarily be ef1aced. But II the
cause Is plainly one of self-defense. II
1t u not 4 war Of exploitatio or con-
quest but war forced on democratic
peoples BY an aggressor who has be.
come menace to all mankind. then
the war becomes 4 crusade for A t,,st
cause ana unity rather than disunity.
solidarity rather than division ensues.
boldest Bluff in History.
At this vantage point where the
whole European problem can be viewed
more collectively than in the European
CAPITALS the belief is rapidly crystallis-
ine that Hitler Is playing trump cards
IN the boldest bluff OF all history. but
that the one thing he did not count
upon-and few dictators or war lords
with their technical minds know any,
thing about popular Psychology Of
peoples other than their own-was the
fighting spirit Of the Csechs and the
desperateness with which . proud peo-
pie will defend their frontiers. Czecho-
slovakia by her mobiliza ton order has
stifiened the British and French and
won the admiration of the whole world.
And she may really have saved not
only her autonomy as a republic but
the peace OF the whole world.
For 1t grows obvious that Czecho-
slovakia mobiliSed her 1000, 900 army
not to resist the cession Of the sude-