Evening star., 1938-07-10
By JOHN EVANS,


BERLIN Correspondence Of the AS
eociated Press).-Europe's statesmen
are bleary-eyed with watching Adolf
Hitler hold a match over the world
war powder keg.
They can't make up their minds
whether he plans an explosion or is
shocking them into callousness SO
they will be so relieved at avoiding
war that they won't care what he
does about Czechoslovakia so long as
It isn't open invasion.
Every one takes for granted the
German Nazi Reichsfuhrer will do
something about the 3.500.000 Ger
/. manic minority in the western end of
sausage- shaped little Czechoslovakia.
but apparently only Hitler knows what
he will do and when.
War is in the air. Half of Europe
Is on edge waiting for it. France and
Russia have declared they would de
fend" Czechoslovakia against Ger
many who already half encircles her.
England has said she might be un-
able" to stay out Of war, would fight
II necessary.
, Germany on War Footing.
Germany. meantime, is on war foot
ing Admittedly she grows stronger
daily in men and arms. The hope OF
her adversaries is that she devotes so
much to guns that her economic sys-
tenn will weaken, her people grow
restive and some mistake or mis-
fortune will bring her collapse.
Hitler has said Germany cannot af-
ford to have poor harvest An army
must have plenty of food. Yet the
crop prospects this year are below
average. Some people think the dan
ger Of small food reserves will make
Hitler cautious.
On the surface there is no caution.
Propaganda blasts from German radio
stations support the Germanic Nazi
movement in Czechoslovakia and tell
Of friction along the German Czecho-
slovak border. This keeps the pot of
trouble bubbling.
In this game for power. prestige
and territory for which millions may
pay with death or ruin the present
status is that no one in authority
pretends to be sure what will happen.
There are too many "ifs."
Negotiates With Henlein.
I. Czechoslovakia is negotiating
with Konrad Henlein, Czechoslovak
Nah chief, who has Germany's pub
lie backing in demand for almost
complete autonomy for the Germanic
one-f1fth of Czechoslovakia's popula-
ton. If he gets what he asks. i'm
mediate war should be improbable.
2. If Czechoslovakia Germanic
Nazis are rebuffed. there may be in
cidents," such as clashes with police.
that would incite the Nazis to appeal
to Hitler to come in and protect
them.
g. If Hitler sent troops into Czecho-
slovakia to protect the Germanic
minority. probably there would be a
war. because no one doubts that
President Edouard Benes intends to
fight invasion and his army is reputed
to be good
4. Even If there is an undeclared
war between Germany and Czecho-
slovakia it might not spread. France
and Russia have said they would de-
fend Czechoslovakia and England has
hinted she might help, but if Hitler
moved with his usual speed they might
be too late. They might consider it
impossible to fulfill their pledges if
there weren't any Czechoslovakia left
to defend In such a case France,
Russia and England would have to
make war on Germany and probably
conquer her to compel her to un-
scramble the Czechoslovak eggs.
Minorities Never Merged.
As matter of fact, Czechoslovakia
Is rather an unscrambled country 1t
is a country of minorities that have
never been amalgamated. 1t was
carved out of the old Austrian
Hungarian Empire by the victorious
Allies in their 1919 Versailles peace"
treaty which has brought mostly the
ingredients for another war.
The Germanic minority in the
Sudeten Mountain region is only one
dissatisfied element. Some of the
Slovaks also complain. So do the
Hungarians, the Polish minority and
the Ruthenians.
The Czechs dominate and the others
complain they aren't well treated. The
central government recognizes there
have been inequalities and injustices,
but has been unwilling to grant the
broad concessions demanded.
II all these minorities got what
they asked there wouldn't be much
of Czechoslovakia
Hitler probably knows more about
this than any one else. That Is why
many people think he will wait and
hope for Czechoslovakia to disinte-
CRATE
Has Not Started War Yet.
Whatever his enemies say about Hit
Ter as menace to the peace, they are
compelled to recognize he hasn't
started any war yet. He destroyed the
Versailles Peace Treaty by disregard
ing It, He did this openly by refusing
to obey its essential clauses which he
called "shackles."
Hitler absorbed Austria March l3.
He got suddenly erected Nad Aus
trian government to Invite" him to
send in troops. He accepted the in
Ntation
In similar peaceful manner Hitler
feoccupied the Rhineland, where the
peace treaty forbade Germany to have
troops. Many people expected France
10 invade Germany. but she didn't.
That is why. some people wonder
II France would go to war over
C1echoslovakia
French statesmen say she will be-
cause Hitler must be halted, but they
recognize they must prove to their
people that defending" Czechoslo-
vakia by attacking Germany Is really
defending France.
Harvest of Coins.