The Wanganui Chronicle TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 1936. GERMANY’S NEW MOVE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 59, 10 March 1936, Page 6

The Wanganui Chronicle TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 1936. GERMANY’S NEW MOVE

WAKING advantage o£ Europe’s preoccupation with Italy, Germany has garrisoned the demilitarised zones in the Rhineland. This move was taking place while Herr Hitler was making his explanatory speech in the Reichstag. To .say that it took the Governments of France and England by surprise would be incorrect, because France recently inquired of England whether the latter were willing to stand by her obligations under the Locarno Treaty. This could only be interpreted as an anticipation by France that Germany intended to make some such move as she has now done. Nevertheless, the suddenness of the action has certainly surprised the general public. There are several phases which need to be emphasised at this present moment in order that the situation shall not bear an exaggerated face. In the first place, the Rhineland zone has not been reoccupied in force; there is only a general return of some garrisons, and not an occupation by a striking force. There is, consequently, no immediate' ground for believing that Germany contemplates an attack upon France. Secondly, there is tne fact that Germany’s finances are in such a bad state that she could not finance a war at the moment; and thirdly, there is flic fact that Germany’s internal condition is one of acute dissension. It has been stressed in this column that such a move as has been made was likely to lie engineered by the German Government m order to call up the national spirit 01. Germany in strength and thus overbear by a patriotic wave tho, protests of Jew and Catholic and Protestant, and the grumblings of the. half-starved workmen. Such a policy has been played so often that it required no prophetic vision to foresee it in this case. Signor Mussolini has played the same tactic, but alas, he has been met, not by aggression, but by sanctions supported by some 46 nations, largo and small. It has been suggested that Signor Mussolini has been the instigator of Germany’s new move. There may be some foundation for this conjecture because, coincident with the re-occupa-tion, Mussolini declared his willingness to arbitrate the Abyssinian case. This indicates a preconceived plan of action on the part of Italy and Germany. It would appear that Italy staged what she reported to be. “ victories” in Abyssinia in order to strengthen her position in Europe, and then just at this propitious moment, when France did not. know which way to turn to hold the friendship of both England and Italy, Germain' takes action. Now in the new situation which has been created the position of the United Kingdom, and the Dominions with her, enters upon a new phase.. France is still in an intransigeant mood in so far as Germany is concerned, yet desires to retain Italy’s friendship, for what it is worth, in order to be free from embarrassment in the south should she become engaged in any difficulty in the north. The United Kingdom has, however, shown a strength of resolve in regard to the Abyssinian debacle which has taken both France and Italy by surprise. It is more than probable that Italy would welcome an opportunity to retire from the Abyssinian campaign if she could do so without loss of prestige, for so astute a politician as Signor Mussolini cannot but be unmindful that if he becomes committed to the German camp his country must immediately assume the position of a very junior partner. Germany would not. be. willing to suffer loss or to enter into any real engagements evith so vulnerable a country as Italy. The commitments which would carry Italy into the German eamp, therefore, would be so onerous to the Italians that they ean be discounted from the start, save in such a desperate situation that. Mussolini would fear for the continuance of the Fascist regime. It can he concluded, therefore, at this stage, that the bond between Italy and Germany is not a strong one, that Italy ean be bought off at any time, and that Herr Hitler is aware of this fact.

On the other hand, the strengthening of France by the pact between Soviet Russia and herself, brings to Germany a menace which she has feared from the days of Bismarck, namely a fight on two fronts. Russia is a much more formidable foe than she. was in Tsarist days; her army is larger, better equipped, and probably better Jed. Certainly its morale is very high, and is likely to remain so. Germany, therefore, despite her alliance with Poland and her influence with Hungary, has much to fear, and since the events in Japan have shown the prospect of her Eastern ally being out of the field as an adversary of Russia, or worse still, engaged in actual fighting in the near future, is in an unsatisfactory position, and it is not surprising that Herr Hitler is suffering from sleepless night#,