Evening star., 1942-05-25

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moment depends on Russia, and
most observers. official and un-
official, in Washington are engag-
Ing in wishful thinking-they don't
know much more than is printed in
the press.
On the subject Of when the war
will end, the answer depends on
what war one Is talking about. If
it's the general war and If it is as
summed that after the armistice,
there will be peace conference
and peace treaty and the same
kind of procedure as occurred
after the armistice in the World
War, then there may be serious
disillusionment ahead.
For it may be doubted whether
there will be a peace treaty for
years after conflict ends, and
whether, indeed, for two or three
years there will be any stable gov
ernments with which to negotiate a
treaty.
Series Of Civil Wars Likely.
At the end of the last war, q
revolution swept German, but dis
order was short-lived. Italy was
intact and 50 were France, Holland,
Denmark and Norway. There was
no such internal cleavage as exists
ali IN,
Europe.
The collapse Of German this time
inevitably will mean q series Of civil
wars. For 10 years now the Nazis
have been prosecuting those who did
not agree with them. Many per-
sons have been executed. Their
friends and relatives may seek
vengeance. In Austria, the memory
Of what happened to the Schu-
schnigg regime Is still vivid. The
seeds Of q bloody civil war have
been planted there.
AS for Italy, revolution sweeping
Mussolini out Of power can only
mean bitter period Of fratricide as
various groups battle for the reins
Of power and for the opportunity to
punish the tyrants who executed in
nocent people.
AS for France, q revolution seems
certain the moment an armistice
comes. The men Of the Laval re-
gime will doubtless encounter a
wrath. that will make the French
Revolution seem by comparison an
example Of self-restraint.
And what Of Poland, Yugoslavia,
Greece and Czechoslovakia? What
elements will arise there? Also will
the anti-Fascist factions in Ru-
mania. Hungary and Bulgaria sit
by and let the governments Of those
countries send Fascist delegates to
tho peace conference? Will not
revolutions be as natural there as
In the so-called occupied countries?
Then, There's the Far East.
During such a period Of chaos,
complicated by famine and poverty,
will the British, American and Rus
sian troops withdraw and let Euro
pean peoples slaughter each other?
Or will there be forcible efforts to
maintain order and set up stable
governments? How long will it be
before such governments emerge?
These long-range questions have
been given little consideration thus
far because most every one has be-
neved the end of this war would
bring the same sequence of events
as did the termination Of the last
war. But even though Germany
collapses, the situation in the Far
East will not Immediately be sim
plified. The disorder inside Europe
may still be engaging the attention
OF the Allies as the Japanese ten
aciousg compel their opponents to
take every piece of ground from
them by force.
The major conflict between the
Allies and Germany could con-
ceivably be over in 1912 or 1943, and
yet a peace treaty might not be
signed or an assurance of peace
clearly given until years later. One
can be optimistic, therefore, about
a possible early endirg of one phase
Of the war-the cor hict with Ger
many-but one alst may find that
long after Hitler has disappeared
the seeds of civi war which his
hateful regime b IS sown will con-
tinue to plague he civilized world
and keep large armies constantly
modified.
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