Evening star., 1939-01-09
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN

by CONSTANTINE BROWN.
PARIS, France (By MaiD There
Is a feeling of hopelessness through
out France. A feeling that Europe
is facing now the worst crisis in
modern history; that the whole
social and political structure Of the
Old World is shaking and that q
war-despite the efforts Of those
who have adopted the appeasement
policy-is inevitable. You flnd this
feeling among the politicians rang
Ing from the leaders of the extreme
right, like Tardieu and de Kerillis
to those OF the extreme left, like
Leon Blum and Thorez. You find
1t In conversations with walters
bus drivers. street car conductors
and the peasants who come to sell
eggs and chickens at the "Halles''
(the central market). You find it
in the provinces.
One of the members of the Ameri-
can Embassy staff who has a good
command of the French language
has just returned from an extensive
tour. He says he has been able to
find only two persons out of ten
who do not think war is Just around
the corner. He has found even
fewer who have the slightest con-
fldence in the Munich pact or in
the recent German-French agree
ment.
Blum DenOunces Pact.
An ardent pacifist, like Blum, who
is determined not to accept Office
when the Socialists replace the
present Daladier government, is
among the most violent denouncers
of the Munich agreement. Not be-
cause he is Jewish or by any chance,
he detests Germany and the Ger
mans. But because he is French
man, a democrat and realizes that
peace with the totalitarian states
can be obtained only on one con-
dition: Surrender to all their claims
and demands.
And these are not confined to the
mending Of the injustices of the
Versailles treaty. These have been
done away with. The totalitarian
governments are determined to
have the whip-hand all over Europe
and eventually through their Far
Eastern associates In other hemis-
pheres.
The French and the British have
surrendered to Hitler Central and
Southeastern Europe which is not
considered the exclusive backyard
OF the Reich. King Carol Of Ru-
mania found it out. He is at present
the only sovereign in that section Of
Europe who opposes the German
penetration with the Western de-
mocracies; he was told to 60 to
Berchtesgaden. 1t all started in
London. Last summer, the British
government announced it would in
vest in Rumania something like
$4,000, 900 to counterbalance Ger
many's economic pressure on that
country.
Cold Shoulder in Paris.
Carol went to London in November
to cinch the deal. He got pleasant
official reception but the economic
plan had been sunk in the Munich
appeasement program. There was
no cash available for a country
which must be in the German
sphere of influence. Still hopeful
he came to Paris. The same answer.
But the pill was sugar-coated; the
French agreed to raise his Legation
to an Embassy. Here too, he was
told, less bluntly, that Berchtes-
gaden was the place for him.
Premier Chamberlain and Foreign
Minister Bonnet thought that they
would have peace In Europe If they
surrendered Czecho-Slovakia and
gave up their economic interests in
Central and Southeastern Europe.
They were mistaken. While Ribben-
trop was in Paris signing with Bon
net treaty of friendship. Musso-
lini began to shout for his pound
Of flesh. He was forced by the
once-his-junior Adolf Hitler to give
up all penetration aims IN the Balk-
ans. But he had received definite
encouragement from the Fuehrer to
expand North Africa. And when
the staggered Bonnet said some-
thing to the smooth Won Ribbentrop
about this unheard of demand of
the Italian people-the yielding of
large sections of French territory
the German foreign secretary was
kind, polite and explained that