Evening star., 1938-03-20
WAR CLOUDS FAIL
T0DARKEN TRAVEL
Dramatic Events in Europe
Make No Impression on
Atlantic Bookings.
BY CRESTON b. MULLINS.

10 war. IranS-A Atlantic steamship
companies and travel agencies are
hopeful, and have reason to hope,
that travel reservations will not be
Cancelled in appreciate numbers un-
less and until, war itself strikes. Fears
OF a general conflagration, voiced for
several years past, have somewhat
lost their sting.
The growing volume of travel
abroad in recent years has led the
shipping companies and tourist agents
to take bookings for summer travel
earlier each year, so that a fairly ac-
curate idea can be obtained at this
time to the extent to which Ameri-
cans are preparing to journey across
the Atlantic. The steamship COM
panies report not only heavy bookings,
but a number of solid reservations
for many sailings from American
ports between June and September.
Up to the present time there have
been practically no cancellations and
the tempo of new business is being
maintained.
Ihe issuance of passports and num-
Der OF reservations for the peak sea-
son on both American and foreign
lines matches previous years. The
State Department passport division
is in the midst of its rush season now
with teachers, students and tourists
making plans for summer study and
travel abroad
War Machines Crippled.
There is much weight in the argu-
ment that Germany and Russia are
not yet ready for war, the former
because its war machine has not been
brought to the perfection that mod
ern war requires, and the latter be-
cause of the apprehensions which the
recent treason trials have created in
the Red Army.
France and Great Britain both are
unprepared for that showdown combat
which is generally considered will be
the nature of the next war in Europe.
England's $750O,00O,000 program of
rearmament is nowhere near COM
pletlon, and France, bereft of that in
ternal security which war requires by
her social and economic transition,
finds herself still too inadequately
armed in the air and on land to meet
invasion that might come, not alone
along her German and Italian from
tiers, but on the south as we'll. Ger
man and Italian armed forces fill in
surgent Spain and constantly menace
French security.
AS long as the dictators' star is
rising in Europe and there is no COM
petent force to halt that rise, the uues-
tlon OF war in Europe remains more or
less academic. But as soon as Great
Britain, France and Russia feel them
selves strong enough to challenge the
might of those who want to change
the status quo in their own interest,
war will become an imminent posi-
bility.
Meanwhile, Americans will find
much of interest in Europe in visiting
the scenes where history is being made.
They will be able to witness a part of
the transformation of Austria into a
part of the German Reich as the evi-
dencts of the republic give way to
signs of the new regime.
Then. too, there is always a chance
that one might be in Berlin, Vienna.
Rome, Paris or London and be an eye
witness to further history making
events.
Americans expecting to visit Europe
this summer will find their problems
considerably eased by the German an
nexation of Austria. for it has re-
moved just one more customs bound
ary, one more bothersome inspection
OF their papers and luggage and has
their currency difficulties
mmeasurably.
1t becomes possible now for them to
go from Germany to Italy or Hungary
or Yugoslavia with only one change
In currency, only one border to cross
ana one inspection for the customs.
Automobile travellers will particu-
larly appreciate the simplifcation of
their traffic problems, for Austria will
now have the drive to the right" reg
ulations which prevail in Germany in
stead of the left-hand driving rules
''h'A~AA AOh hhiSily "ClC dpplleU.
There are broader and. most i'm
oortant lures for American travellers
of all kinds to Central Europe. how
ever, IN the extension to Austria of
those inducements which have at
tracted foreigners to the Third Reich.
Spreads Economy Fares.
In Its search for "devlsen" the Ger
man government has long offered
lower railroad rates for summer tour
list travel which will now be extended
to the Austrian network. These are
being co-ordinated with the German
railroads, so that excursions will be
possible from the important cities
OF Germany to the most remote spots
OF scenic grandeur in Austria. While
many of Europe's countries have es-
tablished special fares for foreign
visitors and set up a system of rebate
TO induce extended sojourns, Germany
has been particularly successful with
these devices.
The tourist marks, which in them
selves bring German prices within
the means of Americans with average
-
income, are being extended for use
IN Austria as the reichsmark crowds
out the schilling as Austrian currency.
Inc Austrian government never found
II necessary to go into the field of
Inance In order to stimulate tourist
travel, so that those who wish to see
austria will be able to do so much
more cheaply than heretofore
international crises in Europe have
IN tne past mad a noticeable effect
upon American travel, particularly ot
the time of the League sanctions
against Italy, and there is no forecast
possible now that the progressive
aggrevation of the tension in relations
will not induce Americans to stav
home this summer. But, even if
that becomes true in the future it
Is not q trend that is much in eyi-
dence yet.