Evening star., 1938-12-12

anybody's chest
nuts out of the fire-the usual rea-
son suspected by anti-British Amer
leans when anything is proposed by
the British in the way of Anglo
American cooperation.
Then if the former British secre-
tary for foreign affairs and the
man who is likely to be Britain's
next prime minister didn't really
come to America to involve us po-
litically in any alliances or inter-
national understandings, what was
his true purpose?
The most plausible answer can be
derived from reading of the speech
of Herr Hitler at Saarbruecken just
after the Munich pact was signed.
The world may have forgotten that
address but in it the German die
tator solemnly warned England that
there must be no more speeches by
Duff-Cooper or Eden or Churchill
Indeed, the German chancellor prac-
tically washed his hands of the
pledge for an anti-War era so far
as England was concerned by point
Cooper or a Churchill came into
power in the British government
he would be inclined to view things
differently and hence military arm
aments had to be kept up.
Eden Ignores Hitler.
Mr.. Eden refused to pay any at
tention to the Hitler prohibition and,
Judging from the course of public
opinion in England since the Saar-
bruecken speech and the recent mis-
treatment of minority populations by
Hitler, the Chamberlain govern
ment has been distinctly on the de-
fensive. What could be more ap-
propriate for Anthony Eden to do to
show Herr Hitler that he Goes not
control freedom of speech in the
democratic countries as yet than for
the former British foreign secretary
TO make trip to the United States
and address group of conservative
businessmen, who, the German
chancellor might have been disposed
to believe. were as interested in
Fascism as the German businessmen
who permitted him to come into
power and who have supported his
regime?
But the businessmen of America
are not Fascists. They are demo-
Gratis. And they showed the whole
world what they thought of German
Fascism and the Munich pact by
inviting the one man in alr the world
who typifies opposition to both.
So Anthony Eden came and was
given great reception. Germany's
Fascists today know that the people
of the United States do not sub
scribe to the notion that statesmen
must be muzzled or that they can
not discuss Fascism or any other
ism If they choose. Herr Hitler must
know today also that in the United
States public opinion is deeply inter-
ested in what is happening abroad
Notwithstanding the fact that the
German government has mistakenly
with here in more places than it is
condemned.
Piece of Strategy.
So far as Britain is concerned, the
Eden trip is significant, too, and
: splendid piece of strategy. The
British people will learn from the
press comments here that the Eden
speech strikes a responsive chord
When the peoples of Britain and
France and the United States think
alike about world emergencies, it
isn't necessary to diagram or chart
in definitive lines of action or in
military alliances exactly what is in
the inner recesses of their minds.
Back in 1917, the German govern
ment made the mistake of under
estimating the currents of Ameri-
can opinion and today the Eden
visit and the enthusiastic reception
his words are getting may make un-
necessary another fatal mistake by
the rulers of Germany.
What the average American can
not understand is on what ground
the German government can pos
sibly affect favorably the public
opinion of America when, after a
-plaintive appeal for the just treat
ment of the German minorities in
Czecho-Slovakia, the German gov
ernment turned around and imposed
indescribable physical tortures on
minorities inside the German bor-
ders, to say nothing of the outright
confiscation of the property of these
minorities.
The German government un-
doubtedly will get detailed accounts
of the Eden visit. What better way
to preserve peace in the world than
for the American people to indicate
to Anthony Eden on his trip to
America that they stand for the
same ideals he has expressed, for
If some day Eden should become