The Wilmington morning star., 1940-07-24
WAR INTERPRETIVE
Ely KIRKE L.

Motives which actually prompt
ed Adolf Hitler to make his '1ast
chance" peace gesture, remain OBJ
scure; but not Britain's answer.
That came promptly in the deeds
of British air forces blasting anew
at German targets; in the stagger-
ing new British war budget, and
in the words of Viscount Halifax,
Britain's foreign minister, reaffr-
ing solemnly the will of England
to fight on.
Clearly it is up to Hitler to make
good his threat to visit destruc-
ton on England. Yet insofar as
Halifax spoke for the will of Brit
ons in the mass the Nazi victory
drive is already repulsed on one
exposed front of attack, and per-
haps the most dangerous - the
home political front in England.
Accept New Taxes
Nor is there any word from Eng
land or from any outpost of the
vast British commonwealth over
seas to suggest that British cour-
age is dismayed or British confid-
ence abated one jot. On the con-
trary. British tax payers appear
schooled to accept a new twelve
billion-dollar-a-year war budget
and a new boost in basic income
tax rates to AZ IL per cent. That
appears to be an even more forth
right answer to the Hitler surren.
der-or-die offensive than any word
from British war leaders C O u | d
give.
It may well be that the Hitler
peace" offensive was timed to
precede imposition of this stag
gering new war burden on British
taxpayers, in the hope that it would
be the final straw to break the
back of British endurance. The fl
nal test of democracy Gts vital
weakness according to Nazi-Fascist
conception) is necessary public
quiescence in taxation.
Obviously, if English taxpayers
are ready to accept without protest
the vast levies the Churchill mini
stry has imposed, and the confisca-
ton for war-making purposes of
virtually half of even low-bracket
incomes, they n prepared to face
any other crisis the war b r i n 6 S
upon them.
That is a.more conclusive an
SWer to the Hitler appeal to rea-
son. speech than any other form
of British retort could be. 1t i'm
plies that the Nazi war-lard may
yet hold back his total attack SO
he can study British public reaction
to the new war budget, as full
understanding of what it m e a n S
seeps down to all classes of Eng
fish workers.
Only Retort Pissible
1t is incredible that Hitler could
have expected any other retort
than he has received from tn e
Churchill ministry to his threat
for it was a threat voiced by a
victor" ready to impose terms.
not a proffer of negotiation. How
ever, his scorn of all democratic
processes, even Of those that lin
ger in an England that has set up
a virtual wartime dictatorship, is
so great that he may well have
hoped for a taxpayer revolt there.
Otherwise, there is no obvious ex-
PLANTATION of his last chance"
speech unless it was due to his
fair for drama and showmanship
and perhaps to Italian urging.
Meanwhile, there have arisen
other circumstances which might
mean further postponement of his
proclaimed attack on England. The
Balkan situation, athwart Ger
many's bread-and-oil life line, is
with new Russian-in-
spired ferment.
1t is of obvious concern to Ber-
lin. The Balkan conference called
by Germany, with Hitler's ace dip
Foreign Minister Won Rib
bentrop, at the helm, throws doubt
on Hitler's claim that Berlin-Mos-
cow relations are unstrained. The
division of spheres of influence Wis
Toned by the Russo-G German under
a year OF more ago may
not be in Stalin's mind as absolute
as in Hitler's.
This much certainly is true.
Russia has thrust a tenta-
i've finger into the Rumanian poll
ical pot at an unopportune time for
Russia suggests that a
popular front" government there
would be more to her liking than
he nazzi-model regime King Carol
has set up to appease the Rome
Berlin Axis. That, by Berlin ad-
mission, is the incident compelling
Germany's attention at a m e
when all her energies are being
whipped into line for the final at
tack on England.
The enigma of Soviet policy H.
lustrated by Russia's moves in Ru-
mania and by her absorption of
the little Baltic states is a trouble
some matter for Berlin. Whether it
IS serious enough to force further
delay of the great assault on
England remains to be seen. 3
AS part of the expansion plans
-or protection of the Panama Can!