Evening star., 1938-05-23
The Powder Barrel.

Ominous as is the news from the
n-Czechoslovak border, with re-
ports of coincident concern in London,
Paris, Warsaw and Moscow, there is as
yet no warrant for fearing that Hitler
Is actually ready to release the thunder
bolts of war. General Goering's news
paper is permitted to warn the Czechs
with last urgent appeal to yield to
Nazi demands and not to delay an
other hour
simultaneously German troop move
ments along Czechoslovakias borders,
though minimized as seasonal transfers,
evidence that Hitler is again on the
march, as he was when preparing to in
wade Austria. Accompanying these ter
rorisUic gestures is concerted press at
tack on President Benes couched in tones
as violent as the ultimatum to Chancellor
6chuschnigg in March, while generally
Germany seethes with the same sort of
inspired agitation that paved the way
for the occupation of Vienna and its
conversion into Reich provincial capi-
tai. The killing of two Sudeten Nazis
by Czechoslovak frontier guards provides
Berlin with a welcome opportunity to
foment the idea of forcing the issue
and browbeating the Prague govern
ment into handing over its 100000 Ger
manic citizens and the territory they
inhabit to the Hitler Reich.
Neither Czechoslovakia herself nor her
ally, France, is minded meekly to haul
down her colors. President Benes' reply
to German mobilization is to call up
several hundred thousand reservists to
augment the standing national army of
100000 and TO announce that the
stanch little republic is prepared for all
eventualities. France proclaims that if
Czechoslovakia is the victim of German
aggression. she will not hesitate to
shoulder the obligation to come to her
armed assistance. Soviet Russia, also
bound by treaty of alliance to defend
the Czechoslovaks is silent but is by no
means to be left out of account. Both
Poland and Hungary with restive mi
norities in the country, reveal an in
clination to rush in if Germany sets the
example.
Great Britain remains the enigma.
Her refusal categorically to say what she
will do must provide Berlin with as dis
concerting food for thought as it doubt
less gives Prague. Even though that in
corrigble realist, Prime Minister Cham
berlain has swung far to the right and
Graves peace with the dictators even at
the price of debasing theological sacri
fees, the Nazis do not forget his hint
in Parliament that, even without COM
mitmentS, no one can be sure that a
German -Czechoslovak conflict involving
the Czechs' allies would not eventually
embroil other countries.
Brazen and brutal as Germany's
Vaccinations are it is doubtful whether
Hitler is anxious for immediate armed
action against Czechoslovakia German
army leaders notoriously do not think
that either the military or the diplomatic
situation at present warrants a cam
paign which could not conceivably be
confined to Central Europe. Twenty
four years ago Germany ventured to
challenge Europe in a combat which she
expected would find her an easy and
early victor over France and Russia.
Existing conditions have much in COM
mon with those of 1914 Then, as now,
London held the key Had the Kaiser
known that Britain, too would be ranged
against him, the chances, in the light of
history, are that the Great War would
have been postponed, if not averted.
London hesitated and Germany marched.
It would be a grim indictment of Brit
ish vacillation in an equally fateful
European crisis if Downing Streets in
decision once again encouraged the Ger
mans to set alight world conhagration.