Evening star., 1939-04-09
Stop Hitler Movement Turns
On Stand Poland Will Take
Brtain's Pledge of Aid Not Believed to Be What
1t Seems Chamberlain Figuring on
u. S. Also Helping Poland
Bv Constantine Broyn.

aggression she will fight regardless of
consequences. It is equally certain that
she will find Immediately at her side
King Carols armies, whose role will be
to create q diversion in Slovakia and
Moravia.
But there is less conviction In our
diplomatic quarters that Great Britain
will be partner in any eventual con-
flict as Mr.. Chamberlain's speech of
March 81 seemed to indicate High
officials in Washington have scrutinized
the British Premier's declaration with a
magnifying glass and have discovered,
among others, these important loop
holes:
l. The military position of Great Brit
ain is not materially different from what
1t was in September, 1888, or even in
March, 1885, when the rest of Czecho-
Slovakia was gobbled up by Hitler with.
out even "by your leave"
The British masses still live in panic
because of the possibility of tremendous
destruction on England from the air and
do not feel that they are sufficiently far
advanced in their military preparations
to cope successfully with German air
attacks. If every ounce of energy of the
British people is henceforth applied ex-
cluslvely to rearmament it will be only
toward the end of this year-under the
most auspicious conditions-that Great
Britain Will be in position to match
Germany. Hence. the same military ex-
pediency which forced Mr.. Chamberlain
to swallow Munich IN September and to
accept the accomplished fact of the final
dlsmemberment of Czecho-Slovakia and
her incorporation in the Reich exists
today, as then.
D0minions Not Consulted,
2. The dominions were not consulted
before the British Premiers declaration
in the House of Commons, and this for a
good reason. Mr.. Chamberlain knows
that none OF the four dominions-Can-
ada, New Zealand, Auxtralia and South
Afrlca-desires nor intends for the time
being to become a party to any conflict
IN Eastern Europe.
The Canadians made this clear when
Premier Mackenzie King fortnight ago
declared that Canada does not intend
to send an expeditionary corps to Europe
as she did in 1914; South Africa was
equally explicit; Australia and New zea-
land see the specter of Japan's menace
so close to home that they must keep
everybody in the islands to face an even.
tual menace from Nippon.
1t is inconceivable, say our observers
in Washington, that Great Britain would
embark on any warlike adventure these
days without the complete physical CO.
operation Of her brood across the oceans.
Counting on U. S. Aid.
II Poland were drawn into q war with
Germany there is no doubt that Britain
and France would eventually intervene.
The Poles it is felt in London and Paris,
could engage the German armies and
resist more successfully than the Czechs
could have last September-until Britain
and France were ready to attack the
Reich. In giving pledge of aid to the
Polish government. Premier Chamber
lain, acting on advice of the general
staff, played safe. Poland's resistance
would, without doubt, move the people
of the United States and Britain into
appearing once more as the defendant
OF small, downtrodden nation. Assist
ance from the United States is never
overlooked in the calculations OF the
European general staffs. And, while it
is believed there that this country would
not bulge If Britain and France were
at loggerheads with the Reich, there is
a feeling, even conviction, that we
would not hesitate to come to the aid
of small Poland if it were being attacked
by stronger power, like Germany.
The Polish power of resistance, the
possibility of United States intervention
if the conflict is skillfully presented
to the people of this country-were the
determining factors which induced Pre-
mier Chamberlain to give limited
guarantee to the Warsaw government
without consulting the dominions and
while Britain's military power was still
below that of the axis.
The stop Hitler" movement, started
by Great Britain with Frances assist
ance, Is exclusively predicated now on
Poland, which appears to be for the
time being the only European country
likely to pick up the gauntlet Der Fueh-
rer might fling.
Should Germany decide the game to
be too dangerous and not worth the
risk, the Polish German rapproachement
can still be achieved, and the situation
in Western Europe will remain as
strained as it was before the Polish in
terlude.
(Copyrteht 1Q3QO