EUROPE IN FERMENT

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 111, 23 April 1936, Page 6

EUROPE IN FERMENT

Czechoslovakian Author Sees Grave Danger GERMANY’S AMBITIONS • “Europe is arming at full speed, and has been doing so for the past eight months. You can believe that statement, for I have seen it all myself,” said Mr Bohumil Pospisil, a Czechoslovakian author and journalist, to a “Tribune” reporter to-day. Mr Pospisil, who is on a visit to Hawke’s Pay, and who speaks a number ct European languages, has visited more than 70 countries in the past 14 years, and his opinions are based on a familiar knowledge of the various European countries and their peoples. “Ever since Hitler showed his hand it has been the same,” he added. "In Czechoslovakia, ior instance, the famous Skoda armament firm and other similar firms have been working night and day, three shifts of eighthours. And almost every other country in Europe has been doing the same. Men up to the age of 35 or so are not encouraged to leave the country, and there is a limit of Eli) a month on the amount of money that may be taken out of the country by a traveller. Partly this is due to the economic position, but mostly it is simply that the country needs every shilling for armaments and every man for war. .We fear war in Europe.

“The position as we see it is simply this: Bismarck created modern Germany, and since his day German foreign policy has never changed, whoever was in power—Socialist, Nationalist, or Monarchist. It is today, and always will be, as it always

has been, Germany’s policy to drive to the east and south. It is a policy dictated by economic desires, and Hitler at present is simply lying low; he is in our view like a sleeping dog who may go mad at any moment. “As tor the League, it is like a premature child, and without America it has never been of much use. Now it has lost Japan and Germany and may also lose Italy. Soon it will be a political corpse. We need shed no tears over the body. Japan defied it, and it could not even prevent a war in Central America. Now Italy is ignoring its representations. The precedent has been set and followed; the League has been ignored, and now it has no authority. 1 WHAT MAY HAPPEN. “The Abyssinian conflict has a European significance in this way,” added Mr Pospisil. “At the moment Hitler is supporting and encouraging Germany. Of that tiiere is no doubt. Then, when Mussolini has shown finally how powerless the League is, and the effectiveness of force, Germany will come forward again and demand her colonies and the right to expand. That is what Germany wants, what Japan wants, and what Italy wants, Japan could not be stopped, Italy has not been stopped, so why should Germany 8 “All three have been preparing for years, and they are ready In the event of Hitler’s taking action, then surely Britain will stand with France and the Little Entente, which includes Czechoslovakia. If she does not, then nothing can prevent war. We in Czechoslovakia have feared tins for some time, and we are fully prepared ; we are continuing to prepare day and night, and we are ready. There is only one other course possible, and that is for the colonial empires to offer Germany from their abundauce the land she wants, but that they will not do. ’/hese colonies cost them blood and money, and to lose them would cost more money. It is a course they Will not take. FRANCE’S GREAT FEAR. “Are we in Europe then to allow oursebes to be swallowed up by a powerful neighbour? It is not to be thought of. Italy is protecting Austria because she does not want the German advance to extend farther, and while to-day Hitler is encouraging Mussolini for his own purposes, to-morrow lie may act in an entirely different way in pursuit of the same object. All ho wants is an excuse, “There is trouble in Memel to-day Soon there may be trouble on the brunch and German frontiers, on the Italian and Austrian frontiers, and in the Balkans. The public opinion in the part of Europe from which I come is that from the Abyssinian invasion a European war will emerge, and we have prepared for it. “I do not think that war will start between England and Italy. It may not have the remotest connection with Abyssinia. There are hundreds of other circumstances in Europe that could

quite easily become the cause of a war. ‘■Ventral Europe is in a ferment, and men are being trained lor the army everywhere. Aeroplanes in every county, my own included, are reconnoitring day and uiglit. In many cities throughout Europe great cellars are being constructed. Democratic institutions are breaking down everywhere in Europe except in England. There the Rothemere Dress is trying to disentangle England from Europe, but 1 do not think it will succeed, indeed it would be impossible. 11 war breaks out in Europe to-morrow the British Empire will be in it next day. "France and Europe,” continued Mr Pospisil, “do not want war, and they will try to postpone it, but I do not think they will succeed. France, with her comparatively small man-power, can depend on her own soldiers, but not altogether on her colonial troops. Germany with her population of more than 7(J,(K;O,IXX) is an armed camp. She is the most powerful military nation in Europe, Russia alone excepted. Germany wants tu enlarge her boundaries. France is afraid of only one thing in the world, and that one thing is uer many.

‘‘lf Germany were to Ret he> colonies back, she would take the next step, and that is to absorb Austria, which she badly wants. She wants to be close to the Alediterranean, and she wants Bohemia. She wants to expand south and east. And as soon as she gets Austria.” Air Pospisil concluded. ‘she will be at grips with Italy.”