Evening star., 1940-03-31
United States Facing Realities
AS Peace Hopes Almost Vanish
Reynauds Rise to Prime Ministership and French
Demands for Active War Handicap
Efforts to Negotiate
By Constantine Br0wn.

gently that the Firms had surrendered
but had never been defeated. And their
surrender was due to Germany's inter-
vention and not to the invincibility Of
the Red Army. Even In a campaign
against Rumania. it was pointed out to
Dictator Stain, the victory of the Rus
sian armies would not be a certainty
unless Germany was effectively on Rus
sia's side.
A compromise dividing Eastern and
Southeastern Europe into zones of in.
fluence is being worked out now. These
spheres of influence are based principally
on the fundamental agreement among
the three totalitarian states. But they
also take into consideration the national
feelings and sentimental affiliations Of
those to be under hegemony. For in
stance, Rumania will be given freer reign
to deal economically, if she so prefers,
with Italy. Bulgaria, which still has a
hankering for Moscow, would be placed
completely under Stalin's tutelage while
Hungary will be taken care of by Berlin.
Yugoslavia will be encouraged to con-
tinue to be close to Italy, while in Greece
the German influence will be, established
once more. Turkey must be detached
from the allies.
Prizes Held Up for Japan.
The relations between Russia and
Japan also are forming an important
topic in the welding of the extended axis.
The old slogan, Fight Against Bolshev-
ism" which brought Germany and Italy
nominally close to Japan, has naturally
been abandoned. More practical ma
terials are being used in this process
of welding
Russia, Japan is being told. can offer
little for the economic development of
the country Even if the Japanese could
take the whole of Siberia-which under
the present circumstances appears out
of the question-they would gain but
little after an exhaustive war.
The enemy of the totalitarians is
Britain and France. and-by implica-
.ion-the United States. The former
two countries have much to offer to
Japan's expansionist desires. 1ndo-
China is prize plum. So are the Dutch
East Indies, which, while a Netherlands
possession exploited to great extent
with capital from London, are equally
most desired prize for raw materials by
hungry Japan.
There Gems to be no apprehension in
Germa.. military quarters regarding the
ability of the allies to harm them much
now. The Siegfried Line is strong; the
British blockade is unpleasant. but for
the time being is making no
dent in Germany's power OF re-
sistance. The morale of the Ger
man Army is reported to be good.
Germany Superior In Air.
For the time being Germany has
substantial aerial superiority over the
combined air forces of the allies. It also
has excellent anti-aircraft defenses and
seems to worry less than they worry
in London over mass aerial attack
from across the Rhine. Such attack
could, of course, be damaging, but not
disastrous, even if the allied air squad
rons were to break through the defense
lines and attack the industrial centers.
A great proportion of the German arms
factories are underground and immune
to aerial bombardment
This is how the situation is viewed by
impartial observers in Washington. Yet
it is recognized in high quarters that
France and Great Britain cannot talk
peace under the existing circumstances.
1t would mean indeed hoisting the white
flag. And no self-respecting nation can
do this unless it has suffered a real de-
feat.
The British consider that they would
not be running the white flag if only
they could gain their main point-out
with Hitler. But there seems for the
present no possibility of inducing the
Fuehrer to follow such course of per-
sonal abnegation.
In France the situation is different.
The French believe that peace without
fighting on the German terms of JUS
tice' would mean surrendering Tunis to
Italy. Furthermore, they feel that in
years to come the demand for their
yielding would be incessant.
These are realities which the admin
istration understands now more fully
than in the past. The conclusion is that
America had better gird herself to meet
the economic consequences Of q pro-
tracted war in the East.