Surrender Not a Solution

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22514, 23 September 1938, Page 12

Surrender Not a Solution

“ Under irresistible pressure ” the Czech Government has accepted “ with pain ” the scheme for ‘the cessiop of the Sudeten German areas proposed by the British and French Governments; but it is not at all clear that by so doing it has finally averted the possibility of a European war. Not only has the partition scheme created a feeling of insecurity throughout the whole of Central and Eastern Europe, but Poland and Hungary are now formally demanding the same rights in respect of their nationals in Czechoslovakia which it is proposed to grant tb Gennany. . The British and French statesmen who shave sponsored the- partition scheme thus in the position of architects confronted jaaithi the ticklish task of altering the -foundations of a - very shaky building: the question is whether the displacements necessitated by the alterations will bring down the whole structure before it can" be shored up. In what , is probably the final phase of the crisis, the main re-sponsibility.-rests once .again with .the German

Government, which undoubtedly has a controlling interest over the policies of the Hungarian and Polish Governments.. The scheme put forward by Great Britain and France gives Herr Hitler the opportunity to secure the Sudeten German areas without the use of force and to give Europe peace for a period. If. his objective is not merely the acquisition of these areas but the ‘ complete destruction of Czechoslovakia, then he will undoubtedly encourage the demands of Hungary and Poland, By doing so he would place the British and French Governments in a most embarrassing position. If they admit the justice of these demands and force the Czech Government to accept them, they will so weaken Czechoslovakia that no system of guarantees will be. for long effective in maintaining her independence. On the other hand, by refusing these demands they will further emphasise the injustice of the present scheme by admitting, in effect, that Germany has won her point by force alone. The only possible reason for refusing to Hungary and Poland what is being conceded to Germany is that Hungary and Poland are not strong enough to take what they want.