Evening star., 1938-10-02

Roosevelt was assured. The old mutual
distrust which had prevented the settle
ment Of every Europan problem appeared
again with more virulence than ever.
Hitler trusted neither the French nor the
British. Procrastination had been the
slogan OF the Czech government for the
last 20 years. Hitler was convinced that
the British and the French were conniy.
ing with Prague to delay any positive ac-
ton IN Czechoslovakia until some diplomat
would flnd that ''the situation is changed
now"
There was. however, one man in Europe
who was implicitly-or for political rea-
sons-trusted by Der Fuehrer. He was also
trusted-for reasons nobody understands
by Mr.. Chamberlain. Mussolini, despite
his record in Spain, was the man. He ap-
peared to be the only leader who could
save Europe from another blood bath.
Whether Mr. Roosevelt discussed with
Mr.. Chamberlain the question of making
II Duce the angel Of peace is not known for
the time being. In any case the Italian
Premier was approached through his SON.
in-law, Count Galeazzo Ciano, on Tuesday
morning and asked whether he would
consent to become the savior and play the
leading role in the European tragedy. The
answer was encouraging. Mr.. Roosevelt
then addressed personal message to Mus.
solini. The contents Of that historic mes
sage are still confidential simultaneously
Lord Perth. Britain's Ambassador in Rome,
was instructed to urge Mussolini to use his
influence with his co-dictator in Berlin
to prevent war. The drama in the situa-
tion appealed to II Duce's Temperament.
He obtained, before phoning Hitler the
assurances of the British government that
Daladier, Frances Premier, would attend a
1our-power meeting-as President Roosevelt
suggested-and that the equitable solution
be intended to devise to avert a general
catastrophe would be accepted by all those
concerned as final
Revival of Geneva?
The question of the separation of the
sudetenland and the other minority re.
g1ons is not in its final analysis of vital
consequence to the President of the Uniteo
States. He believes, as did Mr. Wilson. in
the right OF self-determnation of peoples.
nut OBJECTS as strongly as do the British
and the French to the Hitlerian methods.
what interests Mr.. Roosevelt TODAY is that
pacific solution agreeable to all the major
powers should be found.
But Mr.. Roosevelt sees in the Munich
conference more than just the settlement
OF thorny European problem In its sue.
cess1ul conclusion he visions the possibility
OF starting again from where we left off in
1888 at Geneva With the revival of limita-
ton Of arms conference coupled with an
/ eventual economic conference.
Every American President since Warren
Harding has striven to find solution to
the problem of ornaments There have
been conferences after conferences but the
world went on rearming. The tragic failure
OF the last Geneva conference in October.
1888, was due chiefly to the fact that France
refused to accept parity of armaments with
Germany; the victors of 1918 did not in
tend to live up to the treaties they had
signed and reduce armaments to the level
OF the nations which were disarmed. Time
and nature has taken care of this situa-
ton. The Germans, who were permitted
not even token armaments" who were for.
hidden to have compulsory military service.
motorized forces, heavy artillery, airplanes
and submarines, have now an army and
an air force which is said to be better
than the combined British-French forces
Thus the sought-for parity" has been
achieved In spite Of the failure of the
various limitation Of arms conferences.
Arms Pace at Peak.
The President realizes, as does eyery-
body in Europe, that the present armament
race has reached its peak If the current
crisis can be solved without this astronomi-
cal armament investment bringing its tragic
dividend, the door to another limitation of
arn@ conference will be open. The hayes
and the have-nots are now equal in arma-
mems. From that level they can begin
to b. scaled down. Political "injustices,
have also been important factors con-
tribu ling to the failure of previous efforts
at agreement. The treaties of Versailles.
Tr1anon. st. Germain and Neuilly were
as much handicaps to an understanding
, among the European nations as were their
jealousies and fears. These treaties are
now only names; recollections of tragic
mistakes and diplomatic blunders. None of
them can be invoked henceforth at another
disarmament conference There is a clean
slate. New limitation of arms efforts can
be started from scratch with more than a
good chance to be successful.
These are the considerations which the
President had in mind when he appealed
for the second time to Hitler and asked
Mussolini to intervene on his own terms
IN the present European conflict. That
the territorial integrity of Czechoslovakia
may be the price paid is possible. The
czechoslovakia of the Treaty of Versailles
may disappear, but there is reason to
believe that a new state answering more
faithfully the description of "Czechoslo-
vakia" will be born-a state more united.
more compact and more viable than the
heterogeneous combination which has ex.
listed since 1920
(copyrisht, 1e3s)