NAZIS' GAIN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23150, 23 September 1938, Page 12

NAZIS' GAIN

MILITARY OPINION DIFFICULT CHOICE FRANCE AND BRITAIN 2:; AMERICAN ALOOFNESS ,v, 33y Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright ... (Received September 22. 8.10 p.m.) NEW YORK, Sept. 21 v*,. The break-up of Czechoslovakia ■ .• 'marks a definite shift of the balance h - of power from Britain and France to Germany in the opinion of military ancPnaval circles here, in Wash..v ington, says the correspondent of i>'< the Herald-Tribune, but there is no tendency in these circles to derate .' Britain and France for their decision, for it is felt that it would cost a million dead soldiers to penetrate • the Siegfried, Line, and perhaps it 1~~ vcould cost Britain her Dominions .and. territories in the East. The news of Czechoslovakia's capitulation cannot be said to have elicited any new reaction from American officialdom or the public. It is virtually anti-climactic, yet there must be a realisation among all nations where America's action or reaction in inter- " national affairs is considered important, that every day's developments only 'deepens the basic resolve of America to Temain aloof from Europe's problems. , picturesque Comment Comment continues to be, picturesque .. and variable as it has been since the \< beginning of the Czech crisis. President Roosevelt and Mr. Cordell r'Bull do not consider the crisis dissipated. and continue to refuse to com--1 ment, due to the constantly changing " conditions, says the Washington representative of the United Press. "Ob- . servers point out that had Mr. Hull and Mr. Roosevelt involved themselves in the controversy, they might now - ' find, themselves in a highly unsatis- . factory position," this correspondent :: isays. Terrible Alternatives The New York Times, in a leading - r ,/.article entitled "Epitaph," says: ."The ait smouldering fires set aflame by the .-L Sudeten precedent, light "a perspective that no Government, even Herr Hitler's ~*>■ can survey without alarm. When all facts are known perhaps it will be Lzu-clear that France and Britain, facing terrible alternatives, had less margin S-"' ; ©f choice than the world believes, '?"*■ "Nor can any of us, after this, with ~ r f . u . light hearts and clear consciences cheer causes that we are not ready to defend, a'-f Much" less can any democracy spur on i others to make a stand at a barricade -'-•unless it is prepared to follow all the ;' r way. The only Czech for whom the . cheers for .Czechoslovakia have not ad: turned bitter to-day is Masaryk—and he is dead." J "No Honour or Dignity" TB." » The New York Herald Tribune, in -;3.'a leading article, comments: "The Czechoslovak Republic, the last out-'-1'- post of democracy between the Rhine ~ £ anii Baltic frontiers and Austria, has bowed her head and plunged into her own .side the knife pressed upon her ** with indecent urgency by her two . j_great colleagues, themselves impelled I'll by a contemptuous kick from Herr ■ro Hitler's boot. But only when we know -mrwfcat Herr Hitler succeeds in building will it he possible to evaluate the ultiwisdom of the transfer, in which ;;.;of or dignity therf was none."'