Evening star., 1939-07-01
Belief Rules Here
Reich Is Testing
Poland and Allies
Hitler Is Not Expected
To Strike Just Yet
To Recover Donzig
By JOSEPH H. BAIRD.

reaction of Poland, Great Britain
and France was expressed today by
well-informed oficials here.
There is no doubt in the minds
Of American ofncials that Adolf
Hitler Is determined to seize the
Polish-protected free city. But he
Is not expected to take this action
just yet. The crisis Is anticipated
late in July or early in August.
Press reports Of the movement of
large numbers of un-uniformed
German troops from East Prussia
into Danzig are confirmed by diplo-
matte dispatches. These Germans,
1t Is understood, will be inducted
into the so-called Free Corps OF
Danzig for possible military service
when Hitler decides that the time
is ripe for declaration by the Dan
zig Senate that the Baltic city is
ready to return to the "Fatherland."
Recall Tactics Against Czechs.
In attempting to forecast Hitler's
diplomatic course in Danzig, ofii-
cials here use the seizure of the
Czecho-S -Slovak Sudetenland as q
pattern. For six weeks before events
reached a crisis. German officials
almost daily stated their claim to
the territory and Germans in the
area set up clamor for union with
the Reich. As a result, the world
press was Allied with alarmist head
lines of impending war: British and
Frenchmen lived In state Of nerv-
GUS tension. and statesmen were
allowed long period to contemplate
the horrors Of war. BY the time that
Hitler was ready to strike, his ene-
mics were near nervous exhaustion
The same technique. used Sc
successfully last year. is being fol-
lowed now. well-informed diplomats
believe. 1t is probable that several
weeks may elapse before the hour
arrives when Hitler is ready to
take the decisive step.
American officials believe that
Htler-with craftiness they
readily credit to him-plans the
Danzig coup in a manner which
will place Poland in an unfavorable
light If that country decides to
march troops into the Free City
They believe that the technique OF
the seizure will be for the Dan
zig Senate - Nazi dominated - to
declare that the Free City is hence
forth q part of the German Reich
and probably invite Der Fuehrer
to visit his new territory Until
that moment no German troops will
be in evidence and none will march
in, unless the Poles invade DanziR
first, until they can enter it as =
legitimate part of the German
realm.
Germany has q strong argument
in the fact that Danzig is, in fact
95 per cent German In population
Should the Poles attempt to pre-
vent the coup by military occupa-
ton of the territory, Germany can
justify an attack on the Polish
troops by asking: What right has
Poland to dispute the will of a
predominantly German territory to
join the 'Fatherland'?"
In view Of this fact, and bearing
In mind the horrors of a full-scale
European war. statesmen here would
not be surprised If Great Britain
should attempt to persuade the
Poles to permit Germany to take
Danzig rather than turn the con-
tinent into a battlefield. Britain
and France are committed to fight
Germany over Danzig only If the
Poles resist the German coup with
military force.
Although the anti-Fascist bloc is
IN a much stronger position both
military and in morale than when
Germany seized the Sudetenland
ofhcials here think Hitler may really
believe he can take Danzig without
a military struggle. Even though
the democratic states are willing to
tight, 1t is reasoned, there is always
the possibility. upon which the Ger
mans are believed to bank, that after
the seizure of Danzig the Pope or a
bloc Of neutral states may inter-
vene effectively by an appeal to all
parties to keep the peace.
Fear Poland May Strike.
While American officials do not
consider war over Danzig inevitable.
they do agree that Europe is facing
the most serious crisis since Armi-
stice Day 1918. One Of the gravest
dangers of war, they point out, lies
in the possibility that Poland, when
convinced that Hitler is ready to
grab Danzig, may strike the Reich
a major blow without pausing for
diplomatic conversations.
From the Polish point of view,
there are good military reasons why
a sudden blow at Germany would
be wise, especially If Polish leaders
are convinced that they will have
to fight the Reich eventually to
protect their basic independence
Possession of Danzig would enable
the German army more easily to
operate from both east and west in
a pincers movement to cut of Po-
land from the sea.
Moreover, Poland now has an ex-
pHcit guarantee from Great Britain
to go to its assistance If it resists
Germany's projected coup in Danzig.
Whether Hitler's new gamble for
power will result in war cannot be
predicted now. But OF one thing
officials are reasonably certain: The
Germans already have startad a
psychological campaign to terrorize
Europe which will continue until
1t reaches a crescendo later in the
summer when Hitler is ready to
seize the Free City on the Baltic.
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