Evening star., 1939-06-04
Axis a More Closely Knit Unit
Than DemOcracies' Coalition
Germany and Italy Are Pledged to Strike Tosether,
While Opponents Have Agreed to Consult,
Consider, Then Perhaps Act.
By Constantine Brovu.

While waiting for what may happen
in the military field in the next few
months, Europe has settled herself politi-
cally.
The signature of the Italian German
military pact and the still probable
signature OF the tripartite alliance
among Great Britain, France and the
U. S. S. R. has definitely and formally
divided Europe into two important
camps: The axis, or the two countries
which aim at dominating the old con-
tinent, and the so-called democratic
bloc which aims at maintaining the pres
ent geographical setup and stopping the
march forward of Hitler and Mussolini.
Between these two groups of powers
there are the genuine 'neutrals-Switzer-
land, the Netherlands, the three Scandi-
navian countries and Finland
1t is obvious that the smaller group
the axis-is the more homogeneous unit.
AS far as it can be ascertained at pres
ent, there are no serious differences Of
opinion or divergent aims in these die
tatorships. They say frankly that they
are out for territorial aggrandizement
and are prepared to take by force things
which are not granted them by fear.
There Is complete unity of command,
and Germany and Italy complete each
other militarily just as if they we're
the same country. They lack many of
the riches of what is called the demo-
cratic bloc, but have been preparing
ch f@r
more years than their antagonists and
expect to take advantage, if a conflict
becomes inevitable, of the lack of unity
among the nations in the other camp.
Democracies' Goal Only Temporary.
The difficulties encountered by Lon
don in the formation of the Russian
British-French military alliance show
that such a combination can have only
temporary objective-to stop Hitler
and Mussolini from expanding terri
torially. There is no real meeting of
views between Moscow and the other
two allies. There is definite distrust
and suspicion of motive between Moscow
and the two states the Soviet armies are
supposed to defend against Germany
the Rumanian and the Polish.
If that agreement is signed the British
would have been practically coerced into
joining forces with the Russians. Even
today there is less confidence among
leading Britishers in the Moscow govern
ment than there is in those of Rome and
Berlin. Only recently a leading British
official stated unofhcially that he wished
the fools in Berlin and in Rome would
see the light of day, leave the British
and the French alone, and concentrate
on Eastern and Southeastern Europe,
where they can have a free hand with
out risking major war
After months of dickering Mr. Cham
berlain may be forced to yield to Stains
own terms. The Russian dictator is in
the position Of the money lender who
can dictate his rate of interest to the
broken-down spendthrift, knowing full
well that in the end the reckless spender
will be compelled to return and sign
the usurer's note. Mr.. Chamberlain is
still baking against Moscow's proposal
that the Baltic states should be covered
by the same general guarantee as are
Poland and Rumania. To the Russians
this means a great deal The Russian
stavka-the general staff-believes that
in the event of conflict these militarily
weak states will be the gateway of the
German armies which may seek to pene-
trate Russia and strike directly at Lenin-
grad and Moscow.
Alliance With Non -Democracies.
R,,t
which made the British Premier hesi-
tant about becoming Stalin's bedfellow
The British-French common front can
be conveniently described as the demo-
cratic front. Whatever curtailments to
individual liberty have been perpetrated
in those two countries in recent months,
due to an extraordinary situation, are,
it is hoped of a temporary nature.
Fundamentally, Britain and France at
home are democracies in the modern
sense of the word. AS such, they could
always play up to the American senti-
ment, and, if they ever became hard
pressed, they believe they could hope for
assistance from this country on the
strength that the two leading "democ-
1dClcS VI CuiOpc were III QdIlSeT Ol tIlelI
lives.
But when they associated themselves
with Poland and Rumania their stock
began to go down. Neither of the two
proteges of the French and the British
can call themselves democratic countries.
Rumania, after the change in the consti-
tuition which from her own point of
view was necessary and explicable-can-
not claim to be democratic state as it
is understood in this country Poland
can still less claim the title The late
Field Marshal Pilsudski-a man of the
people like Hitler and Mussolini-estab-
lished fierce dictatorship in that repub-
lic This dictatorship is today in the
hands Of an olgarchy which rules Po-
land with an iron hand.
Turkey Brought In.
These two allies, however, were insuffi- |
cient to meet the menace from the axis,
and more countries had to be added to
the democratic" bloc. Turkey was
brought in after good deal of conversa-
ton. Turkey is progressive state, but
not by the widest stretch of the imagina-
ton can Turkey be called a democracy.
The creator of modern Turkey, Mus
tapha Kemal, established dictatorship
IN the true meaning of the word as far
back as 1923. 1t may be said about |
Kemal that he modernized an old, time