Evening star., 1939-10-22

q marked quickening Of war activity on
all fronts. It looks as If Herr Hitler has
come definitely to the conclusion that
the British Prime Minister'S speech last
week was intended to bang the door in
the face Of any peace proposals emanat-
ing from German address.
I am still doubtful as to whether that
was Mr.. Chamberlain's intention, when
he concluded his speech with the sug-
gestion that guarantees should be given
that this time the German Fuehrer
should abide by his agreement. He prob
ably thought that, before coming to the
conclusion that further interchanges
would be entirely broken of, the Fuehrer
would make some reply. Germany has
taken different view Of the answer
made by the British government, and
IN Berlin .Ssiie Premier's speech is gen.
orally regarded as refusal to enter into
any negotiations at this stage.
Had any great neutral power inter-
vened and proposed a conference of all
great powers to explore the possibilities
OF arriving at satisfactory settlement
which would avert the calamities and
miseries of war, still think that not one
of the belligerents would have rejected
such an Intervention. But the United
States would not take the responsibility
OF formally convening such a congress
unless they had an intimation from both
sides that the response would be ia
vorable. Russia and Italy were probably
influenced by similar considerations. So
1t looks as If the war would go on.
War In Earnest.
Events of last week indicated the war
Is now going on in real earnest. Ger
many has quickened her activities on
the western front, and although she has
not launched any serious attack, she has
been carrying out what used to be called
limited offensives" at certain points of
the line. They were mere reconnais-
sances in force. designed to test the
strength and weakness of the French
positions, rather than any serious, in
tenSive operation. In the course of these
tentative attacks, the Germans have re-
covered little of the ground which had
been captured by the French during the
past few weeks. The French are still on
German soil and none of the stronger
positions out of which they had driven
the Germans has been recovered.
There are reports of heavy reinforce
ments in men, guns and tanks coming up
under the shadow of night to add to the
strength OF the assailants on the Ger
man side. The next few days will make
1t clear whether the German high COM
mand mean to hurl their great army
against the tremendous line of fortifica-
tions which has been constructed and
perfected for years by the French to re-
pulse any invading army.
Hitler may be satisfied with recovering
the ground lost to the French and then
digging his armies in on the old frontiers.
Both sides hesitate before they face the
enormous casualties involved in a pro-
tracted offensive designed to break
through carefully prepared concrete en-
placements.
Concentrates War on England.
The aerial and submarine attacks on
the British fleet are of the most serious
character. AS Mr.. Churchill pointed out,
they display great skill, daring and de-
termination. 1t looks as if Hitler means
to treat Britain as the most formidable
and inveterate of his foes. The German
press has taken that line for weeks.
France is treated with great considera-
ton, tolerance and even indulgence, as
If she were being commiserated with as
the victim of British hatred and jealousy
of Germany. If Britain were once out of
the way, France would of course be
called upon to pay her share of the booty
which the Nazis would exact as the price
of victory. Meanwhile, France is being
pitted and patted as the poor tool of
British arrogance and ambition.
The effect on British opinion of the
losses and casualties inflicted by German
submarines and bombers has been exactly
what would be anticipated by any one
who has made study of the character
OF our people. It has perceptibly stiff
fened their attitude. The war tempera-
ture has risen from subnormal to a de-
gree which may not yet be regarded as
the fever stage, but which is steadily ap-
preaching it.
That was the effect of our defeats in
March, 1913; they added to the determi-
'cfr7IcH0n DIun