Evening star., 1939-03-26

1nCMlEH M OSSOLINl.
Till now Chamberlain has ignored Russia
and Bonnet tricked that great country
out OF what was in September willing
and proffered cooperation.
Russia Would Not Have Bowed.
have more than once called atten-
ton to the Grass folly of snubbing Russia.
I have pointed out repeatedly that this
vast and resourceful country has the
most powerful army and the finest air
force in the world. Had she been called
In at Munich, there would have been no
capitulation to Hitler. Autonomy would
have been granted-and rightly granted
to the Sudeten Germans, but the i'm
mense quadrilateral of Notifications so
essential to the defence of Czecho-Slo-
vakia would not have been handed over
to Germany.
That foolish surrender left the repub-
lie defenseless and PROSTATE at the feet
OF Hitler. The Fuehrer's military advisers
would never have advised him to face the
redoubtable combination of overwhelm-
ing force which they would have had to
encounter had Russia been brought in.
There would have been France with her
great army, Russia with her $4,000 900
trained men, backing up Czecho-S -Slovakia
with her excellent and highly trained
army Of 100000 men intrenched in well
devised and constructed forts in the
mountains. The latter are now elm
mated, but France. Russia and Britain,
with her fleet the greatest in Europe. re-
main.
One OF the potent new factors with
which Hitler has now to deal is the en-
trance OF Russia effectively into the anti
Nazi confederation. But there is another
IN the background, though less in the
background than it was before the crush
ing of the Czech Republic-the mighty
power of America. Germany knows al
ready what the Intervention of the
United States may mean.
Poland also will count She is less
pro-German than she was six months
ago. She is thoroughly terrified bv
these last coups. Her army is by no
means negligible; she could call at
least 100000 trained men to her colors.
IT Rumania were attacked, Poland
would not tamely await her turn for
Hitler to organize pretexts for inter-
vention among her large German pop-
ulation in the Corridor and in Silesia.
Dictators May Be Stopped.
If Britain and France take advantage
of the new spirit of cooperation among
menaced countries frightened by the
annexation of Czecho-S Slovakia, and
great democratic countries indignant at
so fragrant crime against international
right and good faith, there will be sur
prises to upset the world and the die
tators will be compelled to halt in their
staggering march against liberty.
hesitate to offer any opinion as to
what that incalculable man who is the
real leader of the German people may or
may not do. The advancing threat to
the Rumanian boundaries has been
fully pressed to wiring generous terms
for Germany in the ,Rumanian eco
nomic pact, but cannot see Hitler
committing himself to so rash an en-
terprise as the invasion of a country
which has Russia for its neighbor. 1t
would convert rapprochement between
Russia and the democracies of the west
into an overpowering military alliance.
There remains Mussolini So far he
has preserved Hitlerian silence. Up to
the present the realized profits of the
alliance with Germany have gone en-
tirely to the latter. Ethiopia is still a
liability and so is Spain. Will Musso-
lini be satisfied with useful but small
and undramatic concessions from
France?
If so, peace is assured with Italy. The
Duce is in a very tight place. AS very
influential member of the italian Fascist
Council is rumored to have said, "You
cannot make war with the King, the
church and the people against It,"
Mussolini may therefore find that mod
Grafton Is the truest courage and the
surest victory.
Copyright. 1o3o)