Evening star., 1938-10-01
BY PERTINAX,

ana compensation Will De DruSneC
aside.
Second, the enforcement of plebiscite
procedure in some mixed districts
which interpose themselves between
Bohemia proper and Moravia 1t
means that Germany has more than a
good chance to annex them, and thai
the Czechoslovakia of the future will
be nearly cut into two disconnected
halves. without railway to keep them
together.
Third, the fortified lines, which will
have to be surrendered as they stand
today, with all the war material ac-
cumulated in them. 1t is alleged, on
the French side, that second belt of
Notifications is to be found In the
territory left to the Prague government
and that the Czechoslovak military
system can be rebuilt around it. But
the retort can be made that it is by
itself real disaster that the German
Army should seize the first line, a
duplicate of the So-called Maginot
Notifications, which Berlin experts will
thus have opportunity to study and
investigate.
Moreover. 1t is unlikely that any
kind of cooperation will continue be-
tween the French and Czechoslovak
Armies The Czechoslovak generals
nave sent back to Paris all the French
orders that had been conferred upon
them, as protest against France S
ho chor
for many years assistant to CZecho-
slovakia's Premier Gen. Jan Syrovy,
has applied for Czechoslovak nationali-
Eation, an unprecedented happening.
Lost Ss Divisions.
Today, some one said to France S
chief Of staff. Gen. Gamelin, General,
you have lost 35 divisions" This is
rather an understatement, since
Czechoslovakia could mobilize 2O00,-
600 men.
M. ,Daladier strove to wreSt from
Hitler concessions on those three sub
jects. Hitler smiled at him and said,
as did Marshal Goering, that he would
so much enjoy visiting Paris. He jok
ingly told Dala dier, for instance, that
he had no taste for jurists. but he did
not move an inch for NJ Daladier's
imperative requests.
Generally speaking, in official Ger
manys attitude toward M Daladier
and his escort. courtesy, humor and
brutal frankness were curiously blend
ed together. Some one explained to
D.J
line had been built somewhere east of
the Rhine and that the airmen had
become intimately acquainted with all
its intricacies and had been specially
trained to lombard it, Within fort
night. Frances great defensive works
would have been destroyed, it was
added. This boast was not taken very
seriously here. but nevertheless. at the
moment, it caused quite an impress
sion.
Surprise was expressed here when
the news came that the Prague gov
ernment had speedily conformed with
the ADVICE rendered this morning from
Paris and London A bolder govern
ment in Prague perhaps would have
tried to Join issue with the ReichsWehr
and start military operations. and it
would have proved very difficult for
France not to have been dragged in.
Were the Polish Army to invade some
Czechoslovak districts, similar op-
E4tunity would be given. But it is
doubtful whether Syrovy is the men
to use it.
With the amputation of Czechoslo-
vaka. An amputation that may bring
about the death of the patient closes
an epoch Of European history France
and England, directly or indirectly
allies of Czechosovakia, are doomed
to lose the influence they still retained
over Eastern Europe. Poland will now
openly behave as an accomplice of
pam -Germanism and contribute to the
foundation of Mittel-Europa, where
her part will be to lead a crusade
against Russia Polish Foreign Min
lister Beck's hopes go this way, at any
rate), and Yugoslavia. already tied TO
italy. and Rumania will have to revise
their relationships with Germany.
Franco Russian Pact.
Will Russia henceforward regard her
pact of mutual assistance with France
as obsolete? A great deal depends
upon the answer returned to this
query. If the Soviets consider that
they must now come to terms with
Hitler, it is foreseen by many that
the Fuehrer will know how to change
his manner toward them and manage
to include them in his international
system, Then. France and England
would be shut up IN the western corner
of Europe and they would have to
make serious preparations TO meet
eventually, in circumstances less
favorable than today, Germany in
arms which will have grown to WELD
continental hegemony.
But, should the Sovets decide to re-
sist further Germanic expansion east
ward. a common line of resistance
would remain available where Paris,
London and Moscow could stand to-
eether, and, in such a case. progress of
the Hitlerian empire might still pos
sibly be delayed or checked.
However, there is no close under
standing between France and Britain