Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1938-09-24
Still in the Balance.

visional surrender to Hitler, in joint
consequence of German military pres
sure and the moral" suasion of Great
Britain and France, the issue of war or
peace still hangs in the balance. Even
President Benes' broadcast proclamation
the decree of general Czecho- Slovak
mobilization. alarming as these develop
ments are, do not yet denote that the
die is irrevocably cast. The scales were
yesterday when the Godesberg negotia-
tons were ruptured by typical exhi-
bition of Nazi arrogance. They were
resumed last night when the British
Prime Minister saw der Fuehrer again.
Chamberlain returned to London this
morning to present new proposals" to
the Czechs, presumably based on the
final conversations with Hitler.
Representation of the outcome of these
revived exchanges is worse than idle in
so many angled circumstances and en-
Uttered conditions. world whose
nerves for week have been tangled to
the breaking point can only derive solace,
slender as it is, from the fact that as
long as negotiations are not actually
peace with dishonor, it is true, for no
deal with Hitler based on the crucifixion
of CSechoslovakia will deserve any other
description, now or in history
The point on which the Godesberg
conference went on the rocks was Hit
ler's defiant refusal to accede to Cham
berlains demands for guarantees and
German insistence on immediate entry
into Czechoslovak territory. The Prime
Minister sought, first of all, to exact
pledge that troops would not occupy the
Sudeten region until certain measures
had been taken jointly by Prague and
the foreign powers concerned. Among
these measures is protection for 100000
residents of the Sudetenland, including
non-Nazi Germans, Czechs, Slovaks,
Jews, Roman Catholics and other groups
which contemplate with nothing but
anxiety, to put it mildly, the yoke about
to be forced upon them. Another con-
dition which Chamberlain essayed to
fix is the definition of the frontiers,
under international supervision, beyond
which Germany is not to encroach upon
the remnant of the CzechoSlovak state.
Hitler rejected all these proposals. He
demands immediate and unconditional
possession Of the Sudeten districts and
the subsection to Nazi authority of all
and sundry caught like rats within that
trap.
1t is altogether likely that the dictator
was taken by surprise by the sudden
stiffening Of Chamberlain's backbone
for this had not revealed much rigidity
during the days that preceded Codes
berg. There were two public develop
ments which may produce moderation
In Hitler. Foremost is the eleventh
hour about-face in Paris. The Daladier
government has now let it be known
that If the German Army invades
CzechoSlovakia in the midst Of pourpar-
lers at Godesberg and elsewhere, France
will fight without further ado Almost
simultaneously came reliable limitations
from Moscow that Soviet Russia noti-
fled France that she is prepared in
stantly to meet her obligations-that is,
come to the rescue of the Czechs-if the
French fulfill their own alliance duty.
Premier Daladier is under heavy pressure
from the French public and members of
his cabinet not unalterably or premature
ly to commit the republic to policy of
scuttle and infldelty that would be-
smirch the name of France for all time.
Still third reason known to be caus-
Ing the Nazi high command to look be-
fore it leaps is the warning Hitler is
getting from the German general staff.
These experts have told der Fuehrer in
effect that while his mighty war machine
could risk clash with France and Rus
STA, it would be suicidal for it to take on
France, Russia and the British Empire
In combination. This counsel of his re-
sponsible advisers, who are soldiers and
not Nazi zealots or biologists, dovetails
with information in possession of mill
tary authorities in this and other coun-
tries. These have known for months
that professionals like Won Blomberg
and Won Fritsch were admonishing Hit
Ter and Goebbels against the foolhardi-
ness of a major war adventure until the
reorganization and development of the
army had advanced far beyond even its
present formidable proportions. The
name of Marshal Goering is commonly
bracketed with those of the general
staff moguls who deprecate war at this
time. But the soldiers told Hitler he
would invite attack if he remilitarized
the Rhineland. They opposed the seizure
OF Austria for the same reason. In both
cases, Hitler Ignored, their counsel,