Evening star., 1938-09-13
HITLER CAUTIOUS
AS DEFENSES LAG
Military Preparations Not
to Be Completed Till
September rs.
BY PERTINAX.

al any rate, remains more or less free
to favor within limits or to check set
lement between the government at
Prague and the leader of the Sudeten
Germans.
In other words, the speech leaves
things very much where they were.
The conclusions to be drawn are not
very optimistic.
It is known here as a positive fact
that Germany's military preparations
OF all kinds, which have been In prog
ress Tor more than three months, will
not be completed until September Is,
In the meantime, therefore, Hitler
must be relatively cautious in his pub
lic utterances. During the forthcoming
days, 1t Is said, the military measures
which will or will not be enforced in
Germany are likely to enable other ma
tions to perceive what Hitler has really
In mind for the immediate future.
Cabinet In Waiting Attitude.
1t Is emphasized that, during the
next fortnight. every military precau-
ton must be taken on the French
side, and the military and civil au-
thorities act as though war were to
break out. The cabinet meeting yes
terday assumed q waiting attitude. but
today, in the ministerial council. i'm
portant steps probably will be decided
Normally, the class Of recruits serving
with the colors ought to be released
next month, but there Is at least a
possibility that it will be kept In ac-
tive service.
Returning to Paris Sunday after q
holiday. have found that the leading
military opinion has become much
more confident and firmer than it was
at the beginning Of August. Leaving
aside aviation. 1t can be affirmed that
the French Army exceeds by far the
German Army in quality both as re-
CARDS men and material. In the war
industries facories the workmen now
serve without difnculty as many hours
as are required OF them. The present
condition Of the air forces, of course. 1.
a cause of alarm, but. If it means that
hard blows would be struck at the
French nation, it does not mean that
the French nation would be brought
to its knees.
Hitler probably is being swept off his
1eet toward international conflict but
the hard truth is that, while he wants
70 wage war. the Reichswehr Is not
yet ready to Withstand a trial OF
strength. 1t Is confirmed from the
most truthworthy sources that Gen
beck, head Of the German general
stan, raised q protest q few weeks age
against the warlike policy followed by
Hitler. saying he refused to assume
responsibility for the consequences.
The Notifications hastily erected by
Germany in the Rhineland opposite
the Maginot line are inadequate. Hit
Ter mad to realize it two weeks ACC
when he went to Kehl, the German
town opposite strasbourg. It is re.
ported that 80 keen was his disappoint.
ment, ne was unable to control him.
self and he burst into an hysterical tit
insulting the officers around him.
Statement Satisfactory.
satisfaction on the whole Is ex.
pressed here about the statement mad,
to the press by British Prime Ministe,
Chamberlain on Sunday. 1t mean.
that, il France takes the initiative ir
going to the rescue of Czechoslovakis
once the latter country has fallen ir
the grip OF German aggression, Britain
Will follow suit. but that the initiativ.
OF going forward must rest primaril,
with France.
More favorable information is avail.
able about Viscount Runciman's per
sonal disposition. He is not pledges
to support the latest Czech proposal
to the Sudeten Germans, but conf
dence is expressed here that his even.
tual award will not do more than cor.
rect some details in those proposals
In particular, Lord Runciman will re.
frain from doing anything In his awar,
that might clash with the democrats,
constitution Of the Csechoslovak state
AS to the important reservation mad,
by President Benes and Premier Hodzs
concerning the right of the Czecho.
slovak government to conduct its for.
eign policy on the same line as hitherto
and uphold the alliances with France
and Soviet Russia, it Is believed thu
leaders Of the Sudeten Germans ma,
Insist 1t should be withdrawn In thu
second phase Of the negotiations. q
they would point out it cannot b,
reconciled and brought in harmony
with the reform Of the Czechosloval
state as defined in the proposals made
by Benes and Hodza.
Naturalization Suggested.
1t Is wondered here whether the diff
ficulty could not be avoided through
conceding to the Sudeten Germans
special status of naturalization, to b,
valid only for the areas where the,
form a majority Of the inhabitants
1t can be recalled, in that respect, tina
the two French provinces of Chablai
and Faucigny had been neutralizet
by the 1915 treaties, and that thei
exceptional regime, whereby all in
habitants were exempted from mill
tary service, did not come to an enc
until 1919.
But such considera tions are of sub
sidiary importance only. They serv,
to make clear that = peaceful settle
ment, acceptable to all the interest.
concerned, could be reached If Hitlel
were not tied to the pan-Germanis
scheme Of territorial expansion ant
were not convinced his domination
cannot continue unless crowned b,
victory won on the battlefield.
(copyright. 1888. By the North Ameris IN
Newspaper Alliance, Inc.)