Evening star., 1938-09-29
Another Munich Putsch?

-
Adolf Hitler, Barnum Of interna-
tional politics, obviously had An object
in staging today's four-power show at
Munich. It was In that once "gemuetliche"
South German metropolis that the ex-
Austrian corporal in 1923 risked the
celebrated beer-cellar "putsch" which
launched him on his dizzy road to power in
Germany. Der Fuehrer runs true to form
In inviting Chamberlain. Daladier and
Mussolini to foregather with him In the
city which is the shrine Of Nazidom,
although Berlin is the seat Of govern
ment. Nothing would make . hvelier
appeal to Hitler's sense Of the senti.
mental and the spectacular than to give
the birthplace Of the movement" . new
halo Of glory as the locale in which
despised democracy committed hara-
kiri over Czechoslovakia. Such "putsch"
would relegate the Munich Rathskeller
conspiracy to the limbo Of the historic
ally inconsequential.
Apart from the setting selected for the
German British French Italian meeting,
50 dramatically announced by Prime
Minister Chamberlain in London yes
terday, the aspect Of 1t that arouses
instant interest, not unmixed with con-
cern, is the glaring omission Of Czecho-
slovak representative from the invitation
list. Hitler could hardly have asked
President Benes to the party, after the
billingsgate he heaped upon that states
man in Berlin this week. But General
syrovy, new premier at Prague, might ap-
propriately have been invited. Czechoslo-
vakia, after all, has some interest in the
issues to be threshed out at Munich. :.
It is stated at the White House that
in referring to nations directly con-
cerned," in his second peace appeal to
Hitler, Preddent Roosevelt meant Czech
oslovakia, Germany, Poland, Russia,
France, Great Britain, Hungary and
Italy. AZ Poland and Hungary have
arranged to settle their difficulties with
Czechoslovakia, that leaves the Czechs
and Russians as the only ones conspicu-
ously ignored ut Munich.
The slight put upon the Soviet Union
is hardly less marked than the affront
to Czechoslovakia. In one way, tits even
more striking. 1t was only last Monday
that Great Britain, with fanfare clearly
designed to impress Hitler, signaled that
British, French and Russian force in
combination would be used to stop an
invasion Of Czechoslovaka on der Tag
set by Hitler. Forty EIGHT hours later
Chamberlain disclosed to q cheering
House Of Commons that the Soviet ally
would not be among the elect in Bavaria
today.
Old World statecraft being what it is,
there must be method in that madness.
Perhaps the veil was lifted by German
Ambassador Dieckhoff 1T the State De-
partment yesterday, when he expressed
the belief that the four-power confabu-
lation would lead to "a broad European
settlement, embracing not only the sude-
ten question. but others left unsettled in
Europe" That observation by the Nazi
envoy, which smacks Of wishful Wilhelm
strasse origin, suggests the true objective
OF Munich. It brings into the open the
hopeful purpose Of Hitler ana Mussolini
in getting Chamberlain and Daladier
around the same table with them. It
revives the dictators' notorious plan for
excluding Russia from European coun.
sells, and, what is even more important
for the Berlin-Rome axis, it drives to-
ward accomplishment Of tho Fascist
powers fondest dream-the breakup Of
the Franco-Russian alliance.
Devoutly is it hoped by peace-cravers
everywhere especially in America, whose
eagerness to do her non-committal bit
was twice within two days 80 splendidly
manifested by President Roosevelt-that
an honorable peace, not just q patchwork
prologue to inevitable war, is the busi-
ness In hand at Munich. Primarily, It
is hoped that the four.ply conference
was not called to ram through . dark
lantern diplomatic deal for the flnal
crucifixion OF the C.echs. Should It
turn out that Chamberlain and Daladier
capitalized the Csechoslovak tragedy not
only As an opportunity temporarily to
stall the Maxi war machine, but to
underwrite European "appeasement" On.
terms dictated by the totalitarian auto
Gratis, this country viii deplors the day
American influence was lent to promote