Evening Post SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1941. DIPLOMATIC DRIVES

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 39, 15 February 1941, Page 10

Evening Post SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1941. DIPLOMATIC DRIVES

At the moment there are no positive signs in the news that the critical situation either in Europe or in the Far East has taken, a further turn | for the worse. The issues involving an extension of war in either area still hang in the balance. The connecting link between the two and the motive power behind the highpowered Nazi diplomatic drive to force other nations into the war against Britain, either as active or passive participants, is Hitler's realisation that he must do something decisive to stem the tide of British and Greek successes against Italy and do it soon before the flood of American material help backs up the Allied effort and renders it • irresistible. Hence Hitler's hand may be seen everywhere trying to push nations great and small that have listened to Axis propaganda over the brink of the precipice, on which they stand hesitating, in a desperate, final, and irretrievable plunge, sink or swim, into the turbid, swirling waters of war. Hitler himself does not care whether they sink or swim, provided they serve his purpose of embarrassing the enemy and do not drag him down in their struggles. Before these

nations—Japan, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Spain-—dangles the Axis picture of conquest and territory, if they swim; behind them is the pressure of propaganda and infiltration with "tourists" and fifth columnists, thriving on the indecisions of peoples divided against themselves. Six months ago Hitler's job would have been easier, as it was with Hungary and Rumania, and before that with Mussolini's Italy. But much has happened in that six months to deepen and prolong their hesitation. They are by no means so certain now that Hitler will win and they want to be on the winning side. .

But Hitler and his henchman Ribbentrop are working hard on their diplomatic drive to prepare the way for a general military offensive which they hope will be decisive. Japan has evidently been manoeuvred into a position in the Far East from the consequences of which she may find it difficult to extricate herself. The.tone of utterances by spokesmen, diplomats, and the Press of Japan is riow more subdued. There is1 talk of friendliness to Australia roused by the warnings of Mr. Fadden and Mr. Gurtin, backed by the Commonwealth Army Council. The new Japanese Ambassador to the United States, at his first meeting with President Roosevelt, was profuse in his assurances of Japan's good will. It is a national idiosyncrasy of the Japanese to want to have things both ways. The suggestion is made, by way of explanation, that the Japanese are waiting to see what happens to Germany and Italy, their European partners in the pact, before they take the fatal'plunge themselves. But the Axis partners in Europe are also still busy with diplomacy before deeds. It is announced in Berlin that Hitler received at Berchtesgaden the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister of Yugoslavia. General Franco and Serior Suner, representing Spain, have seen Mussolini on the frontier of Italy, and afterwards, on their way back, Marshal Petain and Admiral Darlan, of Vichy France. There is no cause for special alarm over these conferences. No doubt they represent the efforts of the Axis partners to establish a Northern Mediterranean bloc, but after what Britain and Greece have achieved in Africa, in the Mediterranean, and in Albania, some reluctance to join up with the Axis may readily be understood. In the Balkans Bulgaria has been warned, it is reported, by the British Ambassador at Sofia of the consequences of even too great a complacency Avith German penetration. The Turkish Press continues to urge that the formation of a Balkan bloc to preserve national independence may still safeguard peace. Within the orbit of Axis diplomatic activities is, of course, Soviet Russia. The attitude of the Kremlin to what is going on in the Balkans and in the Far East still remains an enigma as far away as ever from solution. It seems incredible that Russia, with her traditional policy of supremacy in the Black Sea and of at least a free passage through the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles to the outer world, together with her protection of Slav races in the Balkans, would tamely submit to the loss of these roles and privileges by the action of an alien Power. Traditional policies, based on geography, economics, and racial animosities, have a way of surviving all changes of Government and even of political systems. Russia supports Chungking China, but preserves the peace with Japan. Yet all the efforts of Japan to secure a non-aggression pact with the Soviet have failed. Throughout the war and the years preceding it, the Soviet has retained freedom of action, and that is where Russia

stands today, an unknown factor in a complicated problem. Meanwhile, the British Empire pursues steadily and relentlessly the conquest of Mussolini's African empire. In Libya, there is an apparent lull after Benghazi, but away in the i desert behind and beyond towards the west actions may be taking place which will seal the fate of Tripoli. British patrols are already cooperating with the Free French forces from the south. In Eritrea and Abyssinia the Italians are being gradually eliminated from one area after another. Once the job in Africa is done, large forces, experienced in war and imbued with the spirit of victory, will be ready for operations elsewhere. If Hitler has decided to make the Mediterranean the decisive theatre of the war, he will find the men of the Empire prepared to settle the issue there as anywhere else.