Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1938-09-23

world is Jlttery in the belief that
the whole earth will soon engage
in a titanic struggle in which null
titudeS of men, women and children
are foredoomed to destruction?
The internal war in Spain and
the undeclared war of the Japan
csc and the Chinese continue and
now present conditions presage a
war in CzechOslOvakia. The rea-
son for it all, believe, lies in the
fact that those who invite war are
organized and have the power that
inheres in organization while those
who detest war are not SO pro-
tected and will be forced against
their will to fight, suffer and die.
About the only exception to this
picture stands the Czech republic
itself. There the rulers and the
people to the last man stand united
and firm to fight for the preserva-
ton of their country's autonomy
and against the dismemberment
which the great countries of
Europe and the British Empire
seem about ready to consummate
in the nterest-of all things
of Peace!
If the Sudeten peOple-that mi
nOrity group of Germans who live
in CzechOslOvakia, are SO badly
treated, are so Inundated and
denied citizens rights, that they
feel annexation to Germany the
only relief possible, and if the pow
erful Hitler senses their discOm-
future so keenly that he is willing
to risk a war with all the world
to save them from their ruthless
OppressOrs; and if the German
people and their overload Hitler
are such peace loving people and
hate the thought of war so badly,
why not invite the Sudetens to
move over into Germany-it's only
next door, and there are only
100000 of them-and a place
could easily be found for them
there.
They could thus have the gener-
Gus living under a German pro-
tectorate, they claim to want so
very much. Hitler would have no
need to take the desperate step he
contemplates to throw the mantle
of his strong government over his
well loved German minority and
the Czechs would no doubt be glad
to be rid of them. Thus peace
could be assured and every one be
happy.
But no, that solution to the vex-
ing problem is too simple. 1t fails
to fit into the plans to which der
fuehuer has outlined for himself.
Plans of which France and Eng
land are well aware. For he wants
Empire and CzechOslOvakia stands
in his way. 1t must be annexed
or at the least so weakened by dis
memberment that it can present no
serious obstacle to his ambitions.
And if he shall succeed in this it
will only bring him to the next
door to, be battered down and if
now France and England, for pres
ent security, permit him to have
his own way with Czechoslovakia
it will be only a question of time
until in the interest of that same
peace they now propose by throw
ing the Czechs to the lions, it will
become necessary, it will become
more difficult, it will become far
more expensive to stop this wild
man of Germany.
That, at least, is my own
thought. In your own thinking it
is well to remember that if world
war comes it will almost surely in
vOlve these United States. That
means your unOrganized husbands
and sons will be forced to obey the
dictates of organized government
and fight for measures that eOn-
Germ them not and against people
for whom they hold no resentment.