Evening star., 1938-05-15

early IN June. These elections will With.
out shadow Of doubt, prove the contention
OF the leaders Of the sudeten Germans that
they want complete autonomy under the
sign OF the swastika. The Czechosiovakian
problem no longer worries Der Fuehrer
AS one Of his trusted representatives stated
recently to an American: "Czechosloyakia
Is ike ripe plum ready to fall of the tree
into our lap. This will happen before thu
summer harvest is gathered
Inc olctators agreed, so reports say.
that there Is enough room in the Danubian
Valley for the industries of both countries
While Hamburg and Bremen will remain
the chief ports Of Austria, Runania
Czechoslovakia and Bulgaria, Trieste will
experience an increased wave Of prosperity
as Yugoslavio and Hungary, with territory
augmented at the expense Of Czechoslo-
vakia, will be feeding that port with their
exports.
The colonial question is not to be pressed
too violently, but it was agreed that Great
Britain shall be kept reminded that tho
present lack Of diplomatic pressure need
not be Interpreted as sign that Germany
has renounced her claim for territories
containing raw materials outside the Euro.
pean continent.
British Treaty Explained.
Mussolini gave an accurate account Of
his treaty with Great Britain, which he
indicated would become operative onlv
when and If Great Britain showed an in.
cination to solve the existing problems be-
tween her and the totalitarian states to the
satisfaction of the latter In the meantime.
strengthening their naval and air bases in
the territories under Frances Jurisdiction
is to continue at high speed.
Though little has been said in the press
about the arms cooperation between the
two relationships, the German naval, air
and military experts who accompanied
Hitler have had protracted conversations
with their Italian colleagues The British
French staff agreements were discussed
and modality of cooperation between the
1talo-German navies and air forces was
approved
These plans deal with the eventuality of
Germany embarking upon an adventure in
Russia and with Italys role of checkmating
any French attempts to come to the rescue
of the Soviets
While Mussolini and Hitler were reyeling
in parades and festivities in Rome, news
came from Paris and London that the
French and British governments were pre-
pairing notes for Berlin and Czechoslovala,
warning the former against any "precip4-
urging the latter to show yielding spirit
in the negotiations with Konrad Henlein,
the leader Of the Sudeten Germans. In his
instructions to the vice dictator, Field Mar
shall Herman Goering, Hitler suggested that
the British and the French plenipoten-
tiaries conflne their advice to Czechoslo-
vakia; Germany had set her course Of ac-
ton and neither the French nor the British
governments could change that course.
The possibility Of a four-power pact, to
include later a fifth power-the United
States-and the Van iceland economic
political plan, which was published in
January of this year. were discussed in de-
tail. Since March, 1886, when the Locarno
pact went the way Of the Versailles treaty,
a four-power pact, such as Mussolini had
drafted in March, 1888, has been under
consideration by the two dictators. The
German .and the Italian governments are
now prepared, it is reported, to come to an
agreement with France and Great Britain
and give definite assurances that the terri
tories of both these countries will not be
invaded by q combined German Italian
force.
While the dictators are willing to make
concession to France by incorporating Po-
land in such an agreement, they are de-
termined to exclude the Soviet Union. To-
day, more than in the past, Mussolini and
Hitler consider the Russians outlaws, and
maintain that pact to replace the Locarno
agreement can be viable only If France
denounces her military alliance with the
Soviets.
The two governments realize the In.
ternal difficulties France Is bound to en-
counter If it were called to give up that
alliance. But they believe the advantages
deriving from the new pact would be so
important that the opposition of the Com
munists and the other sympathizers could
be overridden. So far as Great Britain Is
concerned, neither Premier Chamberlain
nor his cabinet members harbors any
friendly feelings toward Moscow. This has
become evident from Britain's public at
titude toward the Soviet government and
from the conversations Hitler has had
with the personal representatives of the
British Premier.
Pressure on France.
Hence, in Berlin and in Rome belief Is
strong that four or five power pact, which
would restore peace in Europe and give
Germany and italy access to tie raw ma
terials of the world, Is possible If the French
opposition to abandoning Russia can be
overcome.
Discreet soundings have been made In
Washington regarding the attitude Of the
United States. The off-the-record answer
has been the same as in the past: ANY
thing that would dissipate this permanent
threat to the worlds peace would be well
coined by the administration and the
American people. While we in the United
States do not want to have anything to
do with your political agreements we are
fully prepared to discuss commercial agree
ments to start the clogged wheels of the
economic machinery once more. The Van
iceland economic plan is full Of flaws. but