Evening star., 1939-09-01

AASesAo'
Now the British are doing the
same thing, except that it is much
more important for Paris and Lon
don to 60 through the whole ma
chinery of putting nation on the
brink of war, because Herr Hitler
and his staff have been under the
impression that either the French
or British, or both. would recede
rather than go to war over Danzig.
A Military Demonstration.
Hitler's desperate gamble for the
moment is to make military DEM
onstration such as his air raids on
Poland, his assumption being that
Britain and France will not enter
a general war but will allow the
dispute to be localized, with further
negotiations as sequel to the latest
military demonstrations.
BY this time, Hitler knows that
his demand for a legal return Of
Danzig first, before there is any dis
cussion, is absolutely unacceptable.
He might get Danzig by interna-
tional sanction eventually, but not
until he lays down his arms and
enters a peace conference and gives
guarantees against a recurrence OF
the "crisis" maneuvering which
puts the whole world on edge.
Reveals Peace Disposition.
The hopeful and, indeed, the sig
niflcant thing is that when Herr
Hitler gets a turn-down from the
British and French, he doesn't flare
up, but either writes another note or
makes public the last one. This pre-
sumably reveals him as a man Of
patience and of eagerness for peace.
The British and French, on the
other hand are equally putting the
whole affair on a higher plane They
are insisting that there can be no
agreement to cede anything until
there is discussion in an atmosphere
which is not induced by coercion or
threat. If war comes, the British
position will be that Germany made
negotiation impossible by demand
ing at the outset complete accept
ance of her point of view before the
conference of sovereign equals &C
tually began. The issue, then, will
not be Danzig, but civilized and rea-
sonable methods of settling terri
torial disputes.
Victory in Advance Asked.
Hitlers 16-point program has in
It the basis for a sensible negotia-
ton under ordinary circumstances,
but when he insists on the immedi-
ate return of Danzig he is asking
for a victory in advance, and this
unquestionably will not be granted
When Herr Hitler discovers that the
British and French are adamant on
this point, he will modify some OF
the 16 points and ultimately some
of them could be used in a peace
conference.
1t is important to note that the
British and French have not made
public any notes. They deem it bet
ter not to make the negotiations
more difficult by revealing in detail
positions which might have to be
modified if there is the slightest sign
Of yielding on Hitler's part.
Americans, of course, reading
about the stern measures of prepara
ton being announced from London
are likely to feel that war is only a
matter of hours. 1t might we'll be If
an explosion of some kind occurs be-
tween the Poles and Germans, but
the fact still remains that all the
mobilization of Britain and France
does not mean an initiation of hos
tilities. If there is to be a general
war, Hitler alone will commence it,
and present indications are that he
does not feel he can assume that
responsibility.
People Not Ready.
For one thing, the German people
have not been prepared for an ag-
gressive war. In 1914 they were led
to believe the attack on them and
their allies was actually in process
when the mobilization of Russia
started. Today they can easily learn
that mobilization does not mean
preparation for attack, but for de-
fense. Whether any people can be
led into a war of aggression by fiery
appeals and distorted press state
ments remains to be seen.
The crying need of the hour is
some ingenious way out for the Brit.
ish, French and German govern
ments, which have gone to the full
est extent of war mobilization. None
can recede very easily without seri.
Gus disturbance in their respective
positions before the populace. There