The Southland Times MONDAY, APRIL 3, 1939. A Warning For Herr Hitler

Southland Times, Issue 23783, 3 April 1939, Page 4

The Southland Times MONDAY, APRIL 3, 1939. A Warning For Herr Hitler

MR CHAMBERLAIN’S statement on foreign policy in the House of Commons on Friday has created a situation which will be watched with anxiety, but also with hope, by those who believe that there can be peace in Europe. It is essentially an attempt to overcome the dangers of delay inherent in the methods of diplomatic negotiation and to remove the risk that while the democratic Governments are negotiating with Poland and Russia the Nazis will act swiftly and present the world with one more accomplished fact. Mr Chamberlain was careful to say that his Government had "‘no official confirmation of the rumours of any projected attack on Poland” and that such rumours were not accepted as truths; but it is clear that the possibility of another coup by Herr Hitler is in the minds of British and French statesmen. The general belief is likely to be that international unrest has approached a decisive stage, and that the next few days or weeks must bring the unmistakable symptoms of peace or war. Nazi Tactics

This may or may not be a true picture of the situation. If Herr Hitler really intends to fight when the opportunities for bloodless victories are at an end he may realize that he will have to act while he still has an advantage in the armaments race. The British policy statement may therefore be regarded as a challenge which he will have to accept if he is not to sustain what will appear to the world as an important diplomatic defeat. But it is by no means certain that Herr Hitler has exhausted all the possibilities for exploiting his unique system of aggression without warfare. The suddenness with which Bohemia and Moravia were seized a few weeks ago suggested that the Nazis have perfected a system of secret preparation which is proof even against the watchfulness of the British diplomatic and intelligence services. Perhaps the explanation can be found in the fact that only Herr Hitler knows exactly where the next blow will fall and that although he works to a definite policy he relies on a last-minute and intuitive decision. The military machine has been brought to such a state of efficiency that it can move into action within a few hours of receiving its orders. It should be remembered that Germany is a nation under arms and that it is ruled by an individual. So far Herr Hitler has shown himself an adept in the art of keeping the nations guessing. He may be forced to realize now that, with Poland “out of bounds” for the time being, the chances for further spectacular advances are dwindling and that a period of consolidation would be both useful and prudent. The central difficulty is to be found in the nature of a dictatorship. In advancing so far and so swiftly the Nazi drive to the east has gained a momentum that may be difficult to check, especially since Herr Hitler has reaffirmed his hostility to the principle of negotiation. A diplomatic defeat might prove intolerable to a leader whose amazing successes have been explained to the German people as the triumphs of a national spirit which has nothing to fear from the effete democracies. It is possible, therefore, that Germany will advance again in the near future, even if not directly towards Poland. Retreat or Advance?

Not much enlightenment is to be gained from Herr Hitler’s speeches, which resemble the statements of demagogues the world over in their criticisms of past governments, their ambiguities and generalities, and their meagre references to specific action in the future. Conjecture and rumour will be rife until there is evidence that Germany intends either to go forward or to circumvent the Polish negotiations by striking elsewhere. Most people will hope fervently that Herr Hitler will adopt the City of London view that “the period of the dictators facing the world with a series of faits accompli is ending.” But it should be recognized that this may not mean a sudden cessation of unrest in Europe. It is in Herr Hitler’s power to decide for war if he wishes, or to pursue his ends in new directions. Greater Germany is triumphant and expanding, and there has been no sign that when her leader speaks of peace he thinks also of co-opera-tion. There seems little likelihood that the next few weeks will bring relief from tension.