GERMANY’S AMBITIONS

Evening Star, Issue 22261, 12 February 1936, Page 9

GERMANY’S AMBITIONS

BRITISH VIEWS ON POSITION DEFENCE AND COLLECTIVE SECURITY IMMEDIATE PROBLEMS Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, February 11. (Received February 12, at 11.20 a.m.) Tho ‘ Manchester Guardian’s ’ diplomatic correspondent says:— Government quarters take the most serious view of German rearmament. Though they have never regarded it lightly they did not foresee how all the moral and material resources of the nation would be subordinated to it. It is now thought in London that British rearmament must be hastened as a matter of the gravest urgency. The weakness of the collective system makes it necessary that Britain should be able to repel an attack by the strongest European Power. Simultaneously every effort will be made to strengthen the collective system. Britain is more deeply involved in European affairs than at any time since the end of the war. The general opinion at -Whitehall seems to bo that if Britain remains aloof from Europe a general war is inevitable. War may be averted if Britain is sufficiently strong, and also takes an active part in consolidation of collective security'. The close British and French relations and signs of concord between England and Russia have already persuaded Rumania and Poland that the collective system is not the shaky structure that it formerly appeared to be. Germany is losing the belief that she can expand by' dealing piecemeal with her neighbours, who she is now realising are parts of a system to which Britain also belongs. This has caused tho deepest disappointment to Herr Hitler, whose declared policy has been to detach Britain from Europe. Germany’s foreign policy is likely to become more cautious. The indications are that she will first raise the question of colonies, which does not concern raw materials, but prestige, but British official opinion is that Germany has not the slightest chance of recovering a single colony, and Germany is also likely to decide on the most effective way of recovering the demilitarised zone before the end of the year, as she cannot expand eastwards or towards Austria until she has secured her rear by fortifying the demilitarised zone. ORGANISING LABOUR FRONT BERLIN, February 11. (Received February 12, at noon) Inaugurating training courses for Nazi political leaders, tlie Reich’s Leader, Dr Frauenfelder, said: “ Nothing can be done by only shouting ‘ Heil, Hitler!’ We must now act in accordance with the principles of our movement by organising a Labour Front.”-