Evening star., 1939-04-30
Economic Factors Are Making
Germany's Front 1mpregnable
Neighbors of Reich Adopt Practical Rather Than
Idealistic Outlook as Hitler Returns
BALI to President Roosevelt
Bv Constantine Brovn.

Adolf Hitler has thrown Mr.. Roose-
velt's diplomatic ball back to the Presi-
dents side of the court.
Instead of appearing as the ogre Of
Europe, terrifying the smaller nations,
Hitler has maneuvered diplomatically so
France, two powerful and wealthy ma
tions, are afraid of the axis. And by
implication he is proving that the Presi-
dent of the United States acted merely
to bolster the case of the two great en-
pires against the totalitarian states in
the eyes of American public opinion.
President Roosevelt's peremptory mes
sage to Hitler and Mussolini asking them
to put their cards on the table was sent
at time when official quarters were
panicky because of reports received from
London and Paris indicating that Ger
manhattan attack on Gibraltar or AL
giers was a matter OF 48 hours. 1t is
true that neither the British nor the
French government had been consulted
officially regarding this dramatic tele-
gram nor was the presidential communi-
cation prompted by any pleas from across
the Atlantic. But the British and French
government were more than frank" in
communicating to Ambassadors Bullitt in
Paris and Kennedy in London the most
confidential information regarding the
international situation. Mr.. Roosevelt
acted on that information.
None Expected Quick Reform.
Nobody in the White House or the
State Department expected a favorable
reply from the two dictators. Nobody
believed that the Presidents telegram
would bring forth an international con-
ference. as suggested. But our diplo-
mats could not see how Der Fuehrer and
II Duce could get out from under and
avoid standing revealed to the world as
arch aggressors.
German diplomacy showed itself more
intelligent than ever before. 1t called
on the smaller nations enumerated by
the President in his message and asked
them officially: Are you scared of us?"
The answers had to be an emphatic
no Thus the countries which could
have enlisted the sympathies of the
~hAAASAASoAA pSoPAC AOl O . d6
gressions campaign had to say that there
was no reason for the President of the
United States to worry about their fu-
ture.
Some of the nations which have ad-
vised Hitler that they did not consider
their independence or neutrality men,
aced by the axis undoubtedly did so be-
cause of fear. The United States is far
away; Germany is close on their borders
But on the whole there is no doubt that
many of Germany's neighbors look at
the general situation from a different
and less idealistic angle than we do.
Most of the Central and Southeastern
European states have suffered economi-
cally since the beginning of the world
crisis.
Britain's Interest Lackadaisical.
Their attempts to gain economic and
financial support from Great Britain
failed because, until political reasons
cropped up. the British government was
not interested in that section of Europe.
1t preferred to deal with them through
Germany rather than direct. The City
of London worked through the agency
of the German banking and business
houses.
France, too, showed indifference to
their economic and financial plight.
French assistance was predicated on
political commitments on the part of
the nations east of the Rhine.
Among the best customers of the ma
jority of the states from Holland to the
Russian border in the past were Ger
many, Italy, Austria and Czecho-
Slovakia. When Austria and Czecho-
Slovakia became part of the Reich the
volume of trade-imports and exports
with the Reich increased considerably.
Thus the Rumanian government ex-
planned thqt it was only natural that
the agreement with Germany should
provide that rs per cent of the country's
total foreign trade should go to Germany
because this was approximately the
amount of Rumania's trade in the last
two years with the Reich, Austria and
Czecho-S -Slovakia. This is true also of
Yugoslavia with the difference that
Italy controls 30 per cent Of her trade.
Hungary is in the same position. Her
important trade relationship with
Austria and Czecho-Slovakia is being
maintained under the charter of trade
with the Reich.
What we from this side of the Atlantic,
see is the political and military antics
of Herr Hitler. They are spectacular,
hence they make banner headlines and
front page news in the papers. But what
Hitler is doing with the aid of his
formidable military machinery is to
level off the economic frontiers OF
Europe east of the Rhine and achieve
an economic union based on Germany's
political prestige.
Wants Employment Insured.
Behind his political moves are eco
nomic motives. Germany is looking to
an eventual rehabilitation, to the time