The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-01-03

BY MILTON BRONNER
 NEA Service European Manager
 London, Jan. 3, 1938-Europe en- ters the new year with Sickening realization that its situation has deadly parallels to that which pre- ceded the World War.
 On New Year of 1919, just 19 years ago, the bells pealed loud with hope for the terrible four year war was over. Ideals, largely American-born, gave hope that the holacast would justify itself by ending war, by making world safe for democracy, and by creating a League of Nations which would settle peacefully those disputes which had in the past brought war.
 Today all those bright hopes seem monstrous irony. The League of Nations is becoming a mere hulk. The United States never joined. Japan, Italy and Germany have left it, and only three great powers, Great Britain, France and Russia, remain. It has settled some wars and troubles in small coun- tries. But 1t could not stop Italy from conquering its fellow member, Abyssinia, nor Japan from devas- tating its fellow member, China. Nothing Democratic There
 At no time in modern history has the world been so unsafe for de- mocracy. Germany, Italy and Portugal are Fascist totalitarian states; Russia is a Communist totalitarian state. There is nothing in the strong" regimes of Austria, Bulgaria. Esthonia. Greece, Hun gary, Latvin, Lithuania, Poland, Rumania or Yugoslavia that an American or Canadian would rec ognize as democratic.
 The totalitarian states, pro- claiming the right to have any kind of government they want, announce at the same breath their right and determination to interefere in the affairs of other states.
 The horror of possible new world war that all agree would make the world unsafe for ciyiliza- ton, hangs over Europe. The par allels between the present and the period of 25 years ago that ushered in the first World War, are many and sinister.
 The Race to Arms
 In the five years before 1914, Kaiserist Germany. proclaiming its fear of being encircled by hostile powers, had its Triple Alliance with Austro- Hungary and Italy. Today Nazi Germany, proclaiming its fear of encirclement, has another triple alliance, this time with Italy and Japan.
 Opposite to it stands close agree ment between France and Britain, and between France and Soviet Russia, just as in those days stood the Triple Entente of Britain. France and Russia.
 In the years before 1914 there was a terrific armament race. To- days arms race makes it look small by comparison.
 Italy. once the weak sister in alliances, has an enormous army, a powerful air force, and a great fleet.
 Germany, rushing to arms at great speed, may soon have an army as great as that of the Kaiser, IS building a modern fleet, and has an immensely strong air force.
 Russia, on paper at least is one of the heaviest-armed nations i'll the world, with far more power ful, efficient, and self-supportlng army than that of the Car.
 France is spending $7oo,OO0,o00 in 1o38 to improve an already strong army, navy, and air force.
 Great Britain, fearing Germans resyrgent demand for lost colonies fearing Italy's rise in the Meditel : ranean, worried by Japanese threats to her position in the Far East, is cooly planning to spend