Evening star., 1938-08-13
Jittery Europe.

II coming events truly cast their
shadows before, Europe must be in for
hectic time between now and the
NaN "Parteitag" at Nuremberg next
month, for the war tempo daily rises
as August IS, with its expected critical
developments, draws closer.
Germany is In the grip of the most
intense military mobilization since the
war, while at the other end Of the
Rome-Berlin axis II Duce harangues his
troops at the conclusion Of their maneu-
vers with the warning that I'VE do not
delude ourselves and are preparing"
France sends out hasty appeal to all
her diplomats abroad for information
on the extent Of the German military
movements, and Great Britain watches
apprehensively as her mediator in
Praha, Viscount Runciman, proceeds
slowly to reconciliation between the
Czechs and the Sudetens.
Ostensibly Germany is merely under
taking the most extensive army maneu-
vers in her history, with 1,3000 900 re-
eerv1sts reported to have been called to
the colors for six to ten weeks training
with the regular forces. But super
imposed upon this actual disposition of
the military forces along the frontiers
are other facts which signify that if
the Reich is not preparing for sudden
military coup in Czechoslovakia it is
putting itself in readiness for such a
stroke II the situation demands it.
Among the assortment of reports
from Germany are those that 100000
conscript masons and other workers are
being used to complete the Rhineland
fortifications within the shortest possible
time, Notifications strong enough to
hold France at bay in any contingency;
that roads toward the Czech border are
being hastily prepared for use with
temporary surfaces; that municipal
buses, trucks and other vehicles are
being commandeered and stationed near
barrack yards, and that physicians have
been notified to be prepared to report
In case OF an emergency on August IS.
These movements, if true, would point
to anticipation of events of greater
seriousness than mere military maneu-
vers.
Europe is subject to frequent attacks
Of the jitters, and the apprehensions
that these preparations under way in the
Reich create may be exaggerated, but
with the Sudeten question unsettled and
daily aggravated by the virulent NaZ
press campaign, the conversion of Ger
many into an armed camp cannot fail
to affect the course of negotiations
under way in Praha. So that pressure
for settlement there in accord with
Berlins demands may be considered to
be the minimum that the Nazi chieftains
In Berlin expect from their mobilization.
The distinction between the use and
the threat of force disappears in the
accomplishment of changes in the ter
ritorial status quo. If autonomy Is
granted to the Sudetens under threat
the result is as heavily colored with
intimidation as If it were obtained by
actual military invasion.
Thus any surrender by Praha under
conditions which will prevail indefinitely
after August Is will amount to capitula-
ton to the German armed might,
strengthening the military hegemony of
tho Third Reich not only over Central
Europe but over the continent as
whole.
Western Europe, therefore, is at a
crossroads. One path is to urge upon
the Praha government surrender to
Adolf Hitler in accordance with the
policy of realism" which means for
Great Britain end France virtual rec
ognition of German primacy throughout
Europe. The other path is to fortify
the Czechs with assurances of defensive
assistance in refusal to permit Ger
many to advance one step further to-
ward political dominance of the con-
tinent. Much of the future hangs on
the choice.