Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-11-24
Nazi Plan for New Europe
Gives Hitler Napoleon Role
Fuehrer Seen Determined to Unity Continent
and Accomplish What Little Corsican
Sought Unsuccessfully to Do.
BY Feiir NJ orIey.

, fication. British sea power and indus
trial supremacy could not be overcome.
Napoleon could not organize his con-
quests and he placed them in charge of
relatives and generals who frequently
proved incompetent in civil leadership.
The forces of nationalism which he lib
Grated in time combined to overthrow
him.
For the historically minded, and the
lessons of history frequently have an
extraordinary pertinence for the pres
ent, there is utility in comparing the
chances of Hitlers new order with
that which Napoleon sought for nearly
20 years to create. And with the COM
parison, the significance of Germanys
present efforts becomes more clear.
Europe today is clearly more ripe for
unifcation than was the case at the
opening of the 18th century. 1t is
dreadful tragedy that some form of Eu-
ropean union was never achieved by
peaceful means, but little is gained by
bewailing that fact now. Clearly it is
not only the preponderant strength of
Germany, but also natural factors in
| behalf of consolidation, which now OPP
crate in favor of Nazi policy.
United States Industry Important.
British sea power is still dominant, but
Great Britain has lost the industrial
supremacy which was so pronounced in
the Napoleonic era. Whether or not
| that relative industrial decline can or
will be made good by American assist
ance is perhaps the greatest unresolved
issue of the war. Meantime it is clearly
| German strategy to strike hard both at
Britain's sea power and her industrial
centers The ruthless attempts to OBJ
iterate first Coventry and then Birming-
ham by mass bombings indicate the
carefully prepared plan behind this form
| of terrorization.
The new Napoleonic system which is
being formed in Europe. or fettered upon
Europe as many would prefer to say,
| thus has aspects of success which were
lacking in the earlier attempt at unfit
cation by force. OF course, this does
not mean that Hitler personally is COM
! parable with Napoleon, except in the
ruthlessness of his methods and the
immense scope of his ideas. 1t does
mean that conditions are more favorable
for European unifcation now than they
were in the years Immediately prior to
the battle of Waterloo.
1t is, moreover, noteworthy that the
new European order" as designed m
s,,ta,
only in those Anglo-Saxon countries
| which have a sense of individual liberty
unknown or unappreciated in most parts
of the world. Japan and Russia alike
indorse the new arrangements which are
being made in Europe. Indeed these
countries are being of great assistance
to Hitler in bringing his new order" into
being.
In an article last Sunday wrote that
this country should be very sure 1t I'm
derstands the long-rauge implications of
the developing German Russian-Japa-
nese consultations" A correspondent
has properly observed that this observa-
ton itself has confusing implications"
and asks the meaning of this "veiled
advice"
Poses Problem for America.
Since the future is yelled, advice with
respect to it should be similarly discreet.
But what seems fairly clear Is that
changes of a very fundamental charac-
ter are being consummated in Europe
This war is not merely the blind, sadistic
conquest that 1t is habitually pictured
to be-
1t is sadistic and 1t is a war Of con-
quest. But underlying that is apparent
tremendous instructive effort, certainly
comparable with that headed by Napo-
leon, to give Europe unity in conform
ity with modern economic needs, and to
give it essential unity by brute force be-
cause more intelligent efforts to that
end have failed.
The surface aspects of this almost
convulsive movement are hateful to all
Americans But if we intend to oppose
our strength to its underlying trend We
must realize in advance precisely what
we are doing. We must realize not mere
! ly the physical strength of the factors
working for Hitler, but also the moral
responsibility we shall have to assume
for providing and maintaining system
of European unification better than the
one the Nazis are endeavoring to estab-
lish.
In 1918 America lay down on q some
what similar responsibility. There will
be no quitting halfway, no quick with
drawal of American troops and wash
| ing of our hands, If We engage again.
nosexs