Evening star., 1939-08-25
The Deciding Voice

In summing up his fervent appeal
for peace, President Roosevelt told
King Victor Emmanuel of Italy that
"unheard voices of countless millions
of human beings ask that they shall
not be vainly sacrificed again"
Throughout Europe there is abun-
dant evidence to support that claim.
Clearly, the people of Germany,
Poland, Italy, France, Britain and
those of the lesser states have no
desire to lay down their lives on an
other futile battle field, but the de-
cision is not for them to make. From
that fact comes the most persuasive
Indictment of totalitarianiSm that
can be made. The preservation of
those countless millions of lives
hinges upon the decision of one
man-Chancellor Hitler-who will
have the deciding voice in deter
mining the issue of peace or war.
1t is because Hitler holds this
power of life and death over his own
people, as well as those of neighbor-
ing states, that the success or failure
of the peace appeals from the Pope,
the King of the Belgians and the
American President depends almost
entirely upon his reaction to them
At the moment there is no evi-
dence that any of the appeals will
deter Hitler from riSking war to
satisfy his territorial aspirations. In
the messages sent by President
Roosevelt to the German Chancellor
and to President Mosciki of Poland,
three specific methods of settling the
dispute between those nations were
proposed: Direct discussion between
the two governments, submission of
the issues to arbitration if direct
discussions are not feasible, or selec-
ton of a third and disinterested
party to settle the threatening
situation.
AS yet there has been no response
from either government but there
can be no doubt that Poland, having
consistently stated her willingness to
adjust the controversy by peaceable
negotiation, would be glad to accept
any of the three proposals. But that
Is not true of Germany. Chancellor
Hitler has let it be known that so
far as he is concerned the time for
discussion has passed. He proposes
to partition Poland, without war if
she will acquiesce in her own de-
struction; by force if any resistance
Is offered.
II the German Fuehrer already has
determined upon that course of
action, and all available evidence
points to this conclusion, the peace
appeals probably will prove unavail-
ing. But it does not follow that they
will have been entirely futile.
In the first place, decent men, con-
fronted with the appalling prospect
of another major war, can do no less
than exhaust every possibility for
peace, no matter how remote their
chances of success. Secondly, if
Hitler now gives the signal that sends
the inarticulate millions to destruc-
ton he will be unable to escape
responsibility for having resorted to
war while rejecting reasonable
methods of settling peacefully what
are at best relatively unimportant
issues.
BY the wanton recklessness of such
an act, Hitler will forfeit the support
OF public opinion throughout the
world for such merit as there may be
In his territorial demands. And.
beyond that, he will bequeath to
mankind indisputable evidence that
those who relinquish the responsible
ities of self government in return for
what seem to be temporary advan-
tages only invite the signing of their
own death warrants.