GERMANY’S DRIVE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 October 1938, Page 8

GERMANY’S DRIVE

A BID FOR SUPREMACY CZECHOSLOVAKIAN PROBLEM. HISTORIAN ATTACKS ISOLATION PLAN. Lord Rothermere’s advocation of a policy of British detachment from events in Czechoslovakia is roundly condemned by Mr Wickham Steed, historian, author and journalist, in a remarkable exchange of letters between him and the Press Lord, which appeared. in the “News Chronicle” recently. Germany’s domination of Czechoslovakia, he says, “is an indispensable preliminary to a final German reckoning with the British Empire, which forms the ultimate obstacle to German world supremacy.” Lord Rothermere claims that Britain should dissociate herself completely from Czechoslovakia, “this monstrosity of a country,” but Mr Wickham Steed contends that she is a great bulwark against German expansion and would make a valuable and powerful ally. Mr Wickham Steed, drawing attention to an article that Lord Rothermere wrote in the “Daily Mail” on July 18, characterised it as based on misleading information which “may help to bring on a European' war into which Britain, willy-nilly, may be drawn. He added:—

“Why you should wish to weaken Britain’s defence by encouraging Germany to attack and, if possible, to obliterate Czechoslovakia is a mystery. Her existence as a well-armed State impedes German domination of Central and South-Eastern Europe. This domination, in turn, is an indispensable preliminary to a final German reckoning with the British Empire, which forms the ultimate obstacle to German world supremacy. CZECHOSLOVAKIA’S STRENGTH. “It would be dangerous for Germany to attack either Britain or France while Czechoslovakia is able, as at present, to mobilise 900,000 well-armed and well-trained troops and to maintain a powerful air force which, in the event of a German attack, could within half an hour- threaten Dresden, Leipzig, Munich and Nuremberg. “Herr Hitler would need 1,000 planes and 3,000,000 men to crush Czechoslovakia swiftly. These would be available against Britain and France if Czechoslovakia were conquered,, her armament works would fall to Germany, whose armament-making facilities would then be double that of Britain or France.

“It is comprehensible that Germany should wish to get rid of this Czechoslovak thorn in her flesh. It is uncomprehensible that any British journal should help her to get rid of it. “Britain and the Empire must either stand with France and other friends against German domination in Europe while there is still time to avert it and while we still have friends, or we shall presently be confronted with the choice between abject surrender to Germany as mistress of the greater part of Europe and a desperate, friendless fight for existence in which the odds would be heavily against us.” Lord Rothermere replied by declaring that the more truth about “this monstrosity of a country,” Czechoslovakia, became known, the less chance there was that the British people would allow the Government to associate with it directly or indirectly. “From the day Czechoslovakia came into existence it has oppressed the German, Hungarian .Slovak, and Polish minorities. It has done so without protest because the League, until lately, was entirely controlled byFrance and the Allies including Czechoslovakia. You seem to think that 1934 is still 1914. You do not seem to know that Britain, instead of being largely invulnerable, as in 1914, is now, owing to the development of aircraft the most vulnerable country in Europe. / THE DOMINIONS. “If you and your friends had your way you might provoke a war infinitely more disastrous than in 1914. The day Britain goes to war in pursuit of some aim or design in Central Europe two or three of oiu- most important Dominions will declare their neutrality and thereby bring an immediate end to the British Empire.” Mr Wickham Steed retorted that Lord Rothermere’s information about the Dominions was faulty. “Like me, their people will never approve of a British war in pursuit of some Central European aim or design; but, like me —and unlike you-— they approve and support resistance to an attack upon the defences of Britain and the essentials of British freedom. “Like me—and unlike you—they, would not in the last resort fear to fight for the principles on which the British Commonwealth is founded. BRITAIN’S “FRONTIER.” “And it happens today that Britain’s defensive frontier is no longer on the Rhine, as Earl Baldwin once said, but along the borders of Czechoslovakia. Tomorrow it may be elsewhere. And the surest way to save ourselves from having to defend it by arms anywhere is to have a firm and strong purpose of peace and dare to make it known.” Lord Rothermere replied: “It will be news to the people of Britain and the Dominions that Czechoslovakia is now the frontier of Britain. If you and anyone else are so foolish as to believe that Britain and her Dominions will fight for the Mos-cow-owned Prague Government you are labouring under a strange delusion. Why should people in London and Manchester be bombed to perpetuate the Czech tyranny?”