Evening star., 1939-04-11
French See Crisis
Unless British Heed
Plea 10 Show Force
Moves to Line Up Minor
Nations Futile, They
Think, With No Action
By CONSTANTINE BROWN.

By CONSTANTINE BROWN.
Reports from American diplomatic
missions in Europe are of the
gloomiest nature and seem to indi-
cate there is but scant hope of
avoiding q general conflagration in
Europe.
Premier Chamberlain's move to
enlist the support of the minor Eu-
ropean nations in the hope of pre-
senting strong front against the
aggression of the totaltarian states
has met with only academic success.
King Carol of Rumania is about the
only head of state who is ready to
cooperate without restrictions with
the Chamberlain scheme. He, like
the French general staff is of the
opinion that nothing but direct &C
tion-even at the price of an initial
military defeats likely to succeed.
Carol knows that even If the en-
tire British feet were to penetrate
the Black Sea it could be of no
assistance to Rumania which is 60
ing to be attacked-in the event a
conflict with Hitler becomes newt
able-from three sides, South, West
and North. There can be no action
involving fleet.
Poland which has started the ball
rolling by accepting reciprocal de-
fensive alliance with Great Britain
has now become hesitant. Although
the terms of the agreement have
been communicated to the interest
ed government. the actual treaty
has not yet been signed. Foreign
Minister Joseph Beck is taking
stock In the military situation and
has begun to wonder in what man.
ner the British and the French
could come to Poland's assistance
in the event she were attacked by
Germany.
His military advisers point out
now that the same considerations
which prevented the two western
democracies from coming to Czecho-
Slovakias assistance last Septem-
ber are in existence now. The situ-
alton is only less favorable because
Poland is further away from the
western democracies; the Lime line
is stronger than it was last fall and
Spain, which was vulnerable seven
months ago, is now completely
under the German-1talian domina-
ton and could cause diversion on
the French front which might keep
at least 10000 French troops
mobilized in that sector.
Foreign Minister Beck is now
awaiting developments" in the
Eastern Mediterranean before actu-
ally signing the much-advertlsed
stop the dictators" pact.
Metaxas Uneasy.
In Greece the German educated
Premier Metaxas is making reassur-
ing statements to the Greek people
but is far from being easy in his
mind. Here again the presence of
the British fleet can be of little help
to Greece. II the Italians decide to
60 south they will start their opera
tions from the former Albanian
frontier and go into Greece by land.
The Greek Army is in no shape to
offer q real resistance to Mussolini's
lesions, which are incomparably bet
ter equipped and trained. 1t Is
rtmored that Metaxas is flirting
with the idea of reaching some sort
of compromise with II Duce, pos
sibly at the price of King George
giving up his crown and Greece
joining the Communist pact.
This is the latest diplomatic express
sion for countries which have be-
come vaSsals of the axis.
For the time being diplomatic
conversations continue between
Rome and Athens. These are backed
by an increase of italian forces in
Southern Albania on the Greek bor-
der-the most efficient diplomatic
argument of these days.
Yugoslavia, on which Britain
seems to rely for help in her belated
stop Hitler movement, is keeping
quiet and is reported to have given
definite assurances to Rome that
she is perfectly satisfied with the
present set-up and does not intend
to step on the toes of the dictators
French Want Action.
Chamberlain is clinging to the
last hope that he will be able to
mobilize the smaller European states
and is showing the fleet in the Med
iterranean to impress them.
The French have kept quiet in
the last few days. While Foreign
Minister Bonnet is relying on the
hope that Britain will be able to
muddle through in her old manner,
Premier Daladier and the general
staff are pessimistic. They believe
that nothing but show of force
not by parading navies but by doing
things-could possibly gain allies to
the French and the British. They
are in favor of immediate action,
saying that too much valuable time
has been already lost. But for the
time being they can do nothing
since Chamberlain is playing the
Mrst fiddle and is dictatorial in the
conduct of international affairs for
poth countries.
Daladier has given him a free
hand to do what he thinks is best
for the interest of the two allies
and is reluctant to take the initi-
ative and the responsibility of a
drastic act. The French believe
Mussolini is vulnerable and a de-
termined stand combined with ac-
ton against his expansion would
create better atmosphere in the
Eastern European, states than the
present ''let's see" policy of Premier
Chamberlain.
The general survey of the Amer
ican diplomatic missions in Europe
indicates that as long as speeches,
parades and empty threats answer
the Hitler Mussolini land-grabbing
acts, the danger of real showdown
between the major European powers