Evening star., 1939-11-16
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.

BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.
All peace efforts, through third
party or direct from Berlin have
been dropped. This decision is re-
ported to have been taken by the
military and political strategists in
Berlin last Tuesday. The lines Of
the axis must be strengthened and
the totalitarian war against the de-
mocracies must proceed henceforth
with full speed.
| Field Marshal Goering, who is
more tactful and more likeable than
any of the other Nazi emissaries,
was sent post-haste to Rene to
make sure that Italy does not
abandon ship while going into
action.
Ribbentrop. who was supposed to
be the smoothest man in the Ger
man government, has become often
sive since he got it into his head that
| he is super Bismarck. He tries. to
initiate the German Iron Chancellor
and all he has taken from him is a
roughness which fitted we'll the old
arch-Junker but does not 60 quite
well with the young Nazi diplomat.
Among other things, Goering is
supposed to allay any apprehensions
Mussolini may have in regard to the
U. S. S. R.
AS the Germans see the situation.
Mussolini is not more concerned
about the progress of communism
In the world than Hitler himself.
But his great fear is that the Rus
slams will take hold of the Balkan
! states which are still the pets of
! II Duce.
Reports from Berlin indicate that
Goering will re-assure Mussolini on
that score. He is apparently author
lied to say that all Russia wants is
! an outlet to the Mediterranean via
Turkey, and her military actions in
That section OF the world will be
confined to obtaining a through
corridor from Russia to Turkey by
way OF Bessarabia. Eastern Rumania.
the Dobrudja and Bulgaria.
Mussolini's speech yesterday urg-
ing his people to keep their rifles by
the bedside is indicative of II Duce's
frame OF mind. Italy will remain
neutral. 1t is believed in diplomatic
quarters until something happens to
SHOW the strength of Germany and
Russia. 1t may take months before
Italy declares herself; it all depends
on whether or not the German gen.
eral staff decides to attack on the
western front and how successful
such an attack will be. It also
depends on Russias future military
activities.
\ X
Nobody here or abroad knows
where the axis powers will strike
next. The war OF nerves against
Finland is considered as a prepara-
ton for an attack if and when
Germany decides to move in the
west. If the German general staff
considers the climatic conditions on
the western front too uncertain to
start a large-scale offensive the
betting is that something is bound
to occur in the Balkans.
/
1t appears certain to observers
that despite the winter the lull on
the European theaters of opera
tions cannot last much longer. The
meager victories of the German SUBJ
marines and raiders are not suffi-
cient to break the power of the allies,
Something more drastic is expected
OF the powerful German military
machine. The period of lull which
followed the conquest of Poland
has allowed the British and the
French to strengthen their defenses
on the military and the home fronts
Factories have been working "a
hours a day. The output of war ma
terial of all kind has been in
creased beyond the expectation of
the respective governments and
whatever feeling existed in the al
lied countries for q compromise
now that Poland has disappeared
from the map of Europe, has been
destroyed by the people themselves,
The German people are anxious to
see the war end. They had hoped.
together with their leaders. that
peace was possible as soon as Po-
land was destroyed. The leaders
realized first that there could be no
peace on the terms of Berlin and
Moscow. The people are beginning
to realize it now. Hence the neces-
sity of giving up all hope for a
peaceful settlement in the near fu-
tur and the determination to pro-
ceed full speed ahead.
| X 4 4
Room is being made rapidly to
settle those Germans who had to
flee the Baltic states, which are now
under Russia's influence. These
men are taking the place of the
Jews, who are being sent as quickly
as possible to Poland. They are be-
ing removed by trucks and trains
and herded together in the already
overcrowded Polish cities. As many
as 20 individuals are compelled to
share an ordinary size room. Re-
ports from neutral consuls indicate
that the mortality rate among these
people is great.
They have no food and no cloth
ing; the winter is severe. Many
have contracted pneumonia, but
there are neither doctors nor medi-
cine at their disposal.
The Germans from the Baltic
4 staten are beinR helped hy the soy.