Evening star., 1938-08-28


Ambassador Kennedy is vacationing at
Cannes, the fashionable resort in the south
of France. The French Government in
stalled private telephone wire from his
villa to the main exchange in Paris. From
his study. facing the Mediterranean, Mr..
Kennedy keeps in constant communication
with London and Washington
He. too, reported that the democracies
IN europe were skating on thin ice Premier
Chamberlain and Foreign Secretary Hall
fax are still bent on maintaining peace in
Europe by compromises But strange
change is taking place in Britain. When
Chamberlain inaugurated his policy of COM
promises, he had the Endorsement of the
majority of the British public. The man
in the street is not anxious to fight and he
thought that ''old Joe's son was bit of all
right when he decided to keep the country
out of war and be realistic in his dealings
with Hitler and Mussolini. But the effect
OF this realistic policy is none too pleasing.
In Spain Chamberlain has achieved
nothing, despite his tremendous efforts and
pact seems to be worth less than the paper
it is written on now that Franco has re-
]ected the initial plan for the withdrawal Of
volunteers" But while phases of the
Spanish war do not worry the average
Englishman particularly, there is growing
Indignation at the indiscriminate bombing
Of British merchantmen by Spanish and
Italian airships. Officers and men of the
merchant marine are killed or wounded
almost every week. This Mr.. Average Man
cannot understand. He wonders WHY the
red ensign is no longer respected and begins
to growl at the governments inability to
end these outrages.
The thought that maybe Eden was right
after all is Springing into many minds
now. Because of this, the British cabinet
is worried lest some dramatic clash on the
Czech-German border force the hand Of the
government to the point where they will
have to enter into conflict for which they
are not yet prepared-despite public as
Surances that the forces of Britain are now
In position to cope with any emergency.
If Germany could be intimiated by some
pronouncement from across the Atlantic.
much would be gained for the peace of the
world.
Mr.. Kennedy also advised the powers in
Washington that a broadside against the
dictatorS would not interfere with Britain's
conciliatory diplomacy towards Italy and
Germany and might have an appeasng ef-
feet on Der Fuehrer
Finally from Hugh Wilson in Berlin
came word that the pointing of an accus-
ing finger at the dictators might ease the
existing tension. Ambassador Wilson can
not speak with the same force and au-
thority as his colleagues, Bullitt and Ken
nedy. But he had returned dsheartened
from 48-hour vacation in Prague, where
he had long talks with President Benes,
Foreign Secretary Krofta and the British
mediator, Lord Runciman
The Czech leaders were adamant They
were willing to make minor concessions to
the German minorities but nothing ap-
preaching the demands of the Sudeten
Germans and Hitler. Runciman is accept
ed as an honored guest but not fully trusted
by the Czechoslovak government. The Brit
ish peer expressed no hopes of achieving
anything spectacular. The most he could
accomplish, he confided to Wilson, was to
procrastinate; to avoid an open clash. For
this reason he was bent on humoring Hen
lein more than Benes. If negotiations be-
tween the Sudeten German leaders and
the Prague government could be extended
n no giyto ho
Important military operations could not be
started in the winter and by next spring
the situation might change materially. The
war ardor of the Germans might diminish
and Britain's military preparedness would
be nearer completion.
Wilson Convinced of Dangers.
Wilson saw, too, that the present army
maneuvers we're fraught with dangers. He
shared the opinion of most Of his Berlin
colleagues that Hitler does not want war
but that he is making a military demon
stration on large scale to spur the patrons
Of Czechoslovakia into advising Benes to
surrender
1t is not merely to train the German re-
servists that the Reich treasury is spending
out OF its meager means no less than So
500 900 week for these army games. But
the Czechoslovaks will not be bluffed. They
are prepared to accept Hitler's challenge at
the cost Of an international conf1agration.
Hence, if Hitler could be warned by the
spokesmen of the American people Of the
possible consequences of a precpitate ac-
ton, the fateful August September months
might prove only scare without further
damage to the peace of the world The
Reich diplomats are convinced probably
more than their French and British COL
leagues, that America will be actively hostile
to Germany should war break out. 1t would
be good idea. the Berlin Ambassador
thought, If this fooling of the Nazi rulers
were further strengthened by some public
utterances by the President and the Secre-
tary Of State.
Last June, when the world was jittery,
during the communal elections in Bohemia,
Mr.. Hull stated at a press conference,
without any particular reason, that the
United States Government was gravely
concerned over the situation in Central
Europe and admonished the litigants to
avoid an armed clash.
The June war scare ended with only some
shattered diplomatic nerves and no other
damage. 1t was believed in many official
quarters that the Secretary of States
timely press statement contributed in cer-