Evening star., 1939-01-29
HitIer's Next Move

Cologne University on FRIDAY was
the forum chosen by Rhenish Nazi
leaders to herald a new international
crisis. One of them announced that
Germany still has many claims to
make on the world, and, If the
world refuses them, Germany is
strong enough to get what she
wants herself, even at the risk of
war. Before the cheers for this
militant forecast died down, another
Hitlerite spokesman proclaimed his
joy that this rally has taken place
before the beginning of the great
decisions the Fuehrer has made"
The claims" and great decisions"
in question supposedly refer to pro-
nouncements expected to be made
by Chancellor Hitler before his
marionette Reichstag tomorrow. The
event will lend itself to bluster,
for it marks the sixth anniversary
of the Fuehrer's accession. to dicta-
torship. 1t will also be the first
annual occasion on which he has
communed with his parliamentary"
puppets since the annexation OF
Austria and the conversion of the
dismembered Czecho-Slovak state
into a German satellite. Whether
Hitler's speech will elucidate claims"
to share of the spoils of Francois
victory in Spain, or disclose the next
Nazi decisions in Central or Eastern
Europe-Rumania, Ukraine, or in
whatever direction Hitler plans to
move-his strategy in the immediate
future has Europe on the anxious
seat.
Nothing could more graphically
depict the concern which Germany's
intentions arouse than the appeal
just addressed to the Fuehrer and
the German people by eighteen dis
tinguished public men of Great
Britain. Recording that "a spirit of
uneasiness broods over the world"
the signatories ask Germany "to Join
with us in a supreme effort to lay
the spectre Of war and enmity be-
tween nations" The manifesto has
the formal and cordial approval of
Foreign Secretary Viscount Halifax
and, as further evidence OF its semi
official character, was sent out in
German from the government
supervised British Broadcasting Cor
poration.
The molders of Nazi foreign policy
will be ill-advised to mistake this
British plea for peace as evidence
that the London government is still
Munlch-ninded or prepared to
accept peace at any price, respecting
either the Spanish liquidation or any
other claims" or decisions" Hitler
may have up his sleeve. The appeal
by British civilian dignitaries fol-
lowed a series of significant state
ments by government spokesmen.
Home Secretary Sir Samuel Hoare
declared on Thursday that the
British Empire is "invincible" and
that "any blind and foolish people
who think otherwise will have the
shock of their lives" On the same
day Earl stanhope, First Lord of the
Admiralty, disclosed that the British
Navy from now on will commission
a Warship week, while Air Minister
Sir Kingsley Wood predicted that
Britain's monthly output of planes
Will be trebled within year.
Coupling these developments with
Frances arrangements to draw
heavily on Americas aircraft indus
try and Premier Daladier's firm tone
toward Italian threats to press
Fascist demands for French colonial
cessions, it is clear that the European
democracies are in vastly different
mood than when the dictatorships
pointed the Czecho-Slovak pistol at
their heads exactly three months
ago today.