The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1938-03-31

mOcracteS by his warning that he
would make war hard, fast and
first on anybody who tries to
interfere with his victory in Spain
ADDRESSES FRANCE
That is the sense of Mussolini's
extraordinary speech in which he
declared he can and will throw
100000 soldiers, one of the best
air fleets in the world and a navy
which, though small, is good,
against any enemy of Italy dar.
ing to obStruct her manifest
destiny.
France is the number one ad.
dressee for these remarks, which
come at a moment when the
French government, confused by
internal strife, is i'll prepared to
reply.
England is the second party in
tended to listen well and carefully
to MusSolini's own appraisal Of
his military strength, while he
and the British continue their ne
gotiations for what Prime Minis
ter Chamberlain hopes will result
in a general Italio-BritiSh agree
ment.
BACKED BY HITLER
Behind MuSSolini stands Hitler,
and now II Duce is expecting to
receive the first payment of his
surrender of Austria.
With Hitler's support, II Duce
can be confident neither France
nor England will dare to carry
out any plans which small fight
ing minoritieS in both countries
have been discussing to check the
final conquest of Spain by Gen
eralissimo Franco and his 1talo.
German allies.
Among these plans, one which
probably provoked MuSsolini's war.
like declaration is that Of certain
French military and naval circles
supported by a group said to in.
clude Foreign Minister Joseph
Paul Boncour, Defense Minister
Edouard Daladier and Army Gen.
eral Staff Chief General Gamelin,
MENACE TO FRANCE
This group is keenly aware that
continued presence of Italo-Ge
man troops in Spain after Fran.
cos apparently inevitable victory
may be q nfe-and-death menace
to France.
They therefore are said to have
planned to wait until Franco cap.
lures Barcelona, then serve him
with an ultimatum either to send
home the italian and German
troops or take the consequences,
first Of which would be seizure by
Q French fleet landing party Of
the Island Of Minorca, and maybe
q couple of coastal towns such as
Carthagena and Alicante.
Encouraging this die-hard group
Of French politicians and generals
was a report brought to Paris from
an equivalent group from Britain
that Chamberlain could be forced
to support the French if during
these projected operations France
were threatened by the Italian
fleet and airforce.
BACK DOWN" EXPECTED
Now, however, the feeling /.
that II Duce'S muscular stand anC
direct threat of war may eX
tinguish any such French anc
English plans. For now, as al
ways. the democracieS wish above
everything to avoid war, and wheI
faced by MuSsolini with an I'm
miStakable intention to fight they
probably will back down.
Meanwhile, nevertheless, thu
French navy is carrying out man
euverS near the BalearicS and the
strain between the Dictatorship
and democracieS Is becoming
eevry day more intense.
And talk Of war this summer
dominates every gathering place
OF citizens of this unhappy CONT
nent from sidewalk cafes to thu
chancellerieS of major capitals.
PUBLIC FRIGHTENED
What frightens everybody from
prime ministers to restaurant
walters is the rapidity and severity
Of the blows now being delivered
first by Hitler and then by MuSSo
lini, each time with reciprocal
support.
While Hitler struck Austria
MuSsolini stood by silently, per.
hapS regretfully, but helpfully.
Now, while MuSSolini strikes
Spain, Hitler stands by, and the
mere existence Of his superior air
fleet, capable Of dealing meal
culable death to London, makes it
extremely unlikely that England
will do anything effective to help
France avoid that complete mill.
tary enlightenment which a Franco
victory means.
HUNGARY NEXT
After Spain comes Hitler's turn
again, and this time competent
observers believe Hungary is next
in line to receive the benefits OF
the Nazi hegemony.
This is because Hungary, de.
spite tough Admiral Horthy, has
no friends and no means to re
Sist. Her inclusion in some sort
Of federation of the Nazi Reich
would be much more valuable
than Austria because Of Hungary's
agriculture.
Her grain could almost make ur
that 20 per cent which Germany
still! lacks of food to be self-sup
porting.
Hungary. too, is the gateway tc