Evening star., 1939-05-14

Slaught Tor more than a few weeks
German diplomats believe today that
before threat of war the Rumanian
government would be overthrown. Carol
would have to take the road to exile and
puppet government obeying orders
from Berlin would be established with
out much effort. Thus an additional
supply of food stuffs, raw materials
principally oil, would be added to the
war chest of the axis.
Today the axis dominates a large sec
ton OF Europe, and unless the British
and the French can prove their mettle
on the battlefelds it is unlikely that
there will be any changes in the present
setup.
The axis extends directly and indi-
rectly from the Baltic Sea to the Black
Sea; from Italy to Spain. Spain alone
has no frontier contiguous with her
allies. Transport of raw materials from
that country-copper, ore and other
metals-will be difficult because of the
presence of French submarines In the
Mediterranean. But certain quantities
Of the most important materials could
certainly reach Italy and German.
Berlin and Rome leaders are credited
with devising a system OF using large
transport planes for this purpose. The
details are still unknown but it is re-
ported that diversified planes, larger than
our flying fortresses, have been specially
built and are ready to start this un-
usual service when war breaks. Furth-
ermore, number of German CONNER
cial submarines of the type that came
to the United States in the World War
the Deutschland-ar ready for similar
service.
The French and the British, on the
other hand, can count only on their
enormous natural resources and on few
allies except Poland. The negotiations
with Russia are difficult because of the
uncompromising realism of Dictator
Joseph Stain.
London Reply Evasive.
The resignation of Foreign Commissar
Maxim Litvinof is not due to any Soviet
purge. The British-French proposition
to Russia was to join the stop-Hitler
movement. The idea was received with
certain amount of satisfaction in Mos
COW and things moved smoothly until
Stain took hand in the negotiations
The Moscow hermit wanted to know
whether Britain and France intended
to make this movement really effective
and give in exchange for Russia support
in Europe definite guarantees that they
would support Russia in the Far East
Stain pointed out with his workman's
simple logic the inevitability of Russias
being attacked in Siberia as soon as she
became involved in a conflict in Europe
The reply from London was evasive:
it answered this definite request for guar
antees in all parts of the world with the
expression of belief that Japan could
be detached from the axis by financial
considerations and could be induced to
maintain strictly neutral attitude in
a European conflict if the powers were
to recognize her rights in China Should
this prove ineffective, Mr.. Chamberlain
informed Ambassador Maisky, the west
ern states would be glad to consider other
steps. The British government was will
ing to incorporate in the agreement with
Russia some indefinite paragraph deal
ing with this matter. Commissar Lit
vinof was willing to accept this vague
guarantee. Stain was not. Litvinoffs s
services were dispensed with. Molotoff.
the new foreign commissar. acting as
Stains mouthpiece. almost knocked the
British admirals off their swivel chairs
in Whitehall. He suggested that before
any definite agreement committing Rus
sia to help the Europeans in their fight
against Hitler was signed a detachment
of the British-French fleet be sent to
Far Eastern waters and based at Singa.
pore. According to reports from reliable
sources. the Russians wanted this de-
tachment to be composed of or 10 bat
tleships, 33 cruisers and the usual auxil-
iaries-destroyers, submarines, etc. In
other words, fleet capable of matching
the japanese fleet in the Pacific. Stain
added that the presence of such force
at Singapore would prove more effective
deterrent to the Japanese than all the
economic and financial promises of the
city.
Delay in Talks Likely.
The French were quite willing to pla,
their part. They we're ready to offer
portion of their fleet to complete the
British formation. In fact, they indi-
Gated that since their navy is supposed
to cooperate closely with the British, it
was a matter of indifference in which
waters these naval units would operate.
The British admirals and foreign Office
officials, however, felt that Russia was
asking too high price for her co-opera-
ton. Without closing the door alto
gether on the present negotiations. they
have informed Moscow that in view of
the tense situation in Europe 1t would
be difficult to break up the French
British naval forces in two sections op-
Grating so far from each other.
Thus, unless Britain is pressed by the
actions of the axis. the conversations
with Moscow will be protracted.
The British government. while gravely
concerned over the European situation.
Is still hopeful that something will hap
pen to prevent an outbreak which might
lead to general war. If the present
tension can be settled by compromise,
there is no need for Britain to antag-
onize Japan by the dispatch of an
armada to the Far East, as Stain has
requested
If, on the other hand, the German