Evening star., 1938-06-19
France Fights Battle Of Peace
On Three Vulnerable Fronts
Fruits of 1913 Victory Wither as Dictators Plant
Fears for Security in Bed
of Dynamite

slider the possibility aAd prepare accord
ingly.
Furthermore, and again It Is nothing like
certainty. they must be prepared in
case a Fascist Spain should cast its lot
with the enemy.
All this means France must be ready
to cope with possible invasions from three
sides. II Duce may be using his Berlin
connections only as q bargaining factor.
and Gen. Franco perhaps would never 70
to the extent Of making war on France. but
these two with Reichsfuehrer Hitler are
causing the French republic some anxious
moments.
The international line-ups the Juggling,
the sudden seizures such as of Austria.
the open threats and shifting Of troops
make up what the French call the battle
of the peace" 1t is peace on a bed of
dynamite.
Gigantic Game Of Bluff.
Characteristic of the battle is an elab-
crate game Of bluff. Neither side can be
sure just how far the other side Is going,
but there are suspicious that much of
the saber rattling Is bluff and no more.
Statesmen are keenly aware Of the value
OF creating doubt in the other fellows
mind.
An instance: I once asked one of the
best-known European public figures whether
ne actually believed that France would 90
to Soviet Russia's assistance in case Russia
were attacked by the Germans. Such as
sistance is provided for in the Franco
Soviet mutual assistance treaty.
WELL" he answered, IT am not just
sure-but neither are the Germans"
Reference to the Franco-Soviet treaty
leads to the everrecurring and more peril
nent question of whether France would
aid Czechoslovakia in case Of unprovoked
aggression.
French spokesmen insist France would
fulfill the terms Of its similar treaty with
Czechoslovakia to the letter.
But there are ways out. Particularly by
Interpretation Of what constitutes provoca-
ton. And most observers believe that be-
fore rushing military aid to the Czechs.
France would have to have assurance of
support from Great Britain. Otherwise
she would risk plunging feadlong into
general war where the odds might be
against her.
Hitler Warned by Britain.
The British warned Reichfuehrer Hitler
at the time Of the recent German.Czech
crisis that if German troops invaded
Czechoslovakia, Britain would have hard
time keeping from becoming involved
The Germans did not move across the
border.
This does not necessarily means the
Germans would have marched in had the
British remained non-committal. But it
shows that the British realized the value
their warning would have and felt that it
might stay the hand Of Germany's leader
had he intended an invasion.
Coupled with their anything but bright
international outlook, the French face
serious domestic ailments. The two dove
tail In that increasing armaments expendi-
lures are largely responsible for the flnan-
cial crisis and the battle of theories between
Right and Left Is both international and
national.
Daladier Given Reins.
1t took Premier Edouard Daladier, a
man Of the strong" type, and head OF
the national defense forces, to whip to-
gether government that could enact the
firm measures needed early this spring.
At that time there was an ugly strike
wave and things were happening to the
franc.
Premier Daladier, however. has achieved
results principally because all factions In
Parliament realized there was no other
feasible government combination at the
time he proposed his cabinet.
Parliament voted him decree powers and
1t is with these he is governing.
He will have to give an accounting In
the fall. when the DEGREES must be en-.
acted into law. If q new workable poliu-
cal combination has appeared by that time
hs may dnd the going rough.