WAR DANGER

Southland Times, Issue 22813, 12 February 1936, Page 7

WAR DANGER

PREPARATION IN EUROPE SITUATION WORSE THAN IN 1914 GERMANY’S PRO-ITALIAN LEANINGS (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright.) London, February 10. “Never have I found such widespread .orcboding of war as during the Continental journey from which I have just returned,” writes Mr G. Ward Price in the Daily Mail. “That things are far worse than they were in 1914 was the general impression and the present warlike preparations cannot continue without an explosion.” Mr Ward Price ridicules General Smuts's opinion that the war talk is mostly bluff, and he contends that behind the present situation are the same causes as formerly: Strong nations with unsatisfied grievances and ambitions. Germany was the most formidable and aimed at taking over the Polish Corridor and recompensing Poland by conquests from Russia. The writer points out that the French and British talks with M. Michail Tukhashevsky (Soviet Assistant Commissar for Defence), who has been visiting British munition factories and confering with the War and Air Ministers,

inspire misgivings in Germany, where they are taken as evidence of attempts at encirclement, although they are merely part of a vague League of Nations plan for collective security. Nevertheless, however much they contribute to Russian security they will be fatal to British security if they provoke Germany, who will strike in the West instead of the East. “I had an hour’s talk with Signor Mussolini recently, and it left an impression of the danger Britain runs in creating community interests between Germany, Japan and Italy, all of whom are intent on acquiring colonies,” states Mr Ward Price. “Thus far there is no evidence of a German-Italian bond, but inside cases of German merchandise which are being imported in greatly increased quantities to Italy owing to sanctions is often found a printed message always in the same words: 'Hold on until the spring’.” Germany Fears Encirclement.

German anxieties regarding the trend of diplomatic moves in Europe are finding increasing expression in the German Press. The chief fear at the moment is that the Anglo-Russian rapprochement may lead to the encirclement of Germany by Britain, France and Russia. Quarters which have hitherto regarded British friendship toward Germany as axiomatic in the solution of their problems now appear less certain than before. The Foreign Office mouthpiece, the Borsen Zeitung, says that it is due to the psychological absurdies of the British policy that France is being suddenly encouraged from London to conclude a Franco-Russian pact. The Borsen Zeitung concedes justification for British rearmament, but contrasts it with last week’s appeals in the House of Commons to the Government to take every practicable step for a further better understanding among the nations. The Frankfurter Zeitung says: “The British Prime Minister (Mr Stanley Baldwin) and the Foreign Secretary (Mr R. A. Eden) who are so sure of themselves will have to say more clearly whether their talk about the League of Nations means a coalition against Germany or envisages the new leadership in Europe which, was expounded by Sir Samuel Hoare.”

AGGRESSION FEARED BY AUSTRIA ITALY HER ONLY SAFEGUARD. RESISTANCE OF NAZI THEORY. (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright.) (Rec. 5.5 p.m.) London, February 11. Discussing the future of Central Etfrope, Prince Starhemberg (ViceChancellor of Austria), in an exclusive interview with the diplomatic correspondent of the Daily Telegraph, said that his most serious concern was that the weakening of Italy by the Abyssinian war might disturb the balance of power in Europe. He still felt that the Italian army constituted the only substantial force to which Austria could look for succour in the event of a German attempt to over-run her. “Austria to-day is content with her present borders,” said Prince Starhemberg. “Her people ask only security against aggression. Our need is for increased confidence among the Danubian peoples so that we may approach the ideal of united States of Central Europe. It is for Ihis reason that we resist the Nazi theory, ‘one race, one Fatherland.’ That policy would lead to two opposing camps, pan-Germanism and pan-Slavism, and would result in the destruction of Europe.” The Vice-Chancellor denied that the youth of Austria were strongly proNazi. He said: “The young and older people realize that an Austrian can be a good German without being a Nazi. It is only those between the ages of 26 and 35 who have Nazi sympathies; they acquired these views during the years when the newly-founded Austrian Republic was unable to supply all their wants.”