Milford chronicle., 1938-12-23

ANLeACC 6OOa hOuoGhGCNAu6 tHt
shop "a place for everything and ev-
erything in its place." 5. Have all
minor cuts or abrasions treated
promptly at the plant dispensary.
even the unarmed and primitive
Abyssinians. Thus, If Italy provoke.
France to war, the whole thing will
ultimately be shouldered on Germ
any to finish, If she can.
Nazi Crisis
But if reports seeping out of Ber-
lin are true (and there is no reason
to doubt them) Germany is less able
to fight now than she was in Sep
tember or October. High Army Off
GERS, civic leaders and civil SER
wants are being purged as the ma
tion's economic conditions become
increasingly worse. And Hitler may
not be able to depend on his Army.
| For there is a considerable defeat
list feeling in the German Army; the
supreme command is. primarily
against the present regime, not be-
cause it is disgusted, but because, as
competent soldiers, they foresee de-
feat. The Army is a magnificent
parade instrument indispensable to
the blufing policy of the National
Socialist Government. But important
military qualities are sacrificed to
this policy of bluff, as evidenced
clearly in the fact that the invasion
of Austria was a military debacle.
Seen at close quarters, the German
Army is not to be compared to that
of 1914. The present organization
is filled with a poor spirit from the
military point of view. One detail is
characteristic. In the World War.
up to the end of 1916, not a single
German soldier or civilian suffered
the death penalty. Up to the end of
the war there was scarcely a soldier
or civilian charged with espionage
on behalf of the enemy. Now a week
scarcely passes without the execu-
tiOn of a German on charges of be-
ing a spy. Many are soldiers on the
active list or in the reserve. The
first death sentences we're imposed
on women of the aristocracy, Off
GERS daughters and officials of the
War Ministry. This shows that the
army must reckon with a different
spirit than It did i'm 1914. That the
Nazi leaders know this is shown by
reported purges this week of 40 high
army officers, including generals.
Anglo Pact Buffer
AS England almost Immediately
after signing the Munich pact,
,,I,,uOad ;nta IN ,rn0rooodanfod n rra q
program, so did France this week
raise her defense program by sever
al billion, to protect paper peace.
But France has more to worry about
than England, for not only has Brit
ain a pact with Hitler, but the Anglo
Italian pact has gOne through ahead
of schedule. What bothers Paris
now is that England may be wooed
away from her French alliance byl
Hitler and II Duce--which has been
the dictatOrs' plan all along. Italy
immunity in the Mediterranean III
England does not come to the aid OF
France. And now. more than ever.
Britain's lifeline through the
Mediterranean is vulnerable. with
Franco and his allies controlling
Gibraltar and a strong Italian Navy
close to Suez. Germany, too, can Of
fer enticing promises, especially
concerning air raids over England,
IL London will not give aid to
France.
Finland
A curious situation exists in Fin
land today that is likely to have
strange repercussions. At the end of
the Finnish Parliament
dissolved the Fascist Party. which
Of the Interior Urho Kek-
kenen exposed as working against
the democratic regime. The press
that Finland, eight years
ago, suppressed the Communist Par
Ey However, the Finnish Magis-
Erate's Court refused to enforce the
ban on the Fascist Party. While
Finiandto all intents is placed upon
4 firm democratic keel, the Nazi ele-
ment is growing stronger since For
sign Minister Rudolf Holsti resign
ID on the strange excuse that his job ,
lid not pay. Behind the ''resigna-
ion was the fact that he was dis
missed as a persona non grata to
Hitler. His resignation" was hail
ID with joy by the Alan Suunta, the
Iappo (pro NazD party organ. and
~ the Uusi Suomi. paper of the ex- !
RENE Right. That pressure was :
brought to bear from Berlin was ,
hown in the fact that at a diplo-
natic banquet in Geneva, Holsti in-
Iulged in disparaging remarks about
Iitler while the Fuhrer was talking |
Iver the radio. Last February he I
vent to Moscow on the first official I
isit ever made by a Finnish Minis
er; he effectively opposed the Lap !.
% (Nazi) agitation to provide naval
ases for Germany In Finland for an
ttack on Russia. and deported a 8
Iazi leader. Holsti, a Liberal, also l
Tanted Finland to join the Oslo I
which are determined to v
g neutral in the next war. '
Holsti's successor, Professor Val Q
o Voiomaa. Social Democrat. is a I
pecialist on the Aland Islands n
+hich were demilitarized by an in d
irrational convention in 1921, and a
'hich Germany now wants to rearm b
,r use in an attack on Soviet Rus-l &