GERMANY’S FUTURE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20076, 24 October 1939, Page 8

GERMANY’S FUTURE

FEAR OF COMMUNISM ALLIED WAR AIMS DEFINITION SOUGHT

LONDON. Sept. 27. The most compelling feature of the war, ns a result of Russia’s advance into the heart of eastern Europe, is that diplomatic and political activity, at least at present, is assuming a far greater importance than the actual military activity. Russia’s advance not only gave the world a general surprise by its suddenness, but it has also raised many considerations in political circles. Among these considerations is the view that, since the Emoire agrees with Mr. Winston Churchill’s statement in the House of Commons yesterday that to persevere is to conquer, a military victory over Germany is merely a matter of time. Secondly, in view of the destruction i of the bulwark that Poland constituted j against the Communist Hood, will noli Germany, which may take three years to defeat in the field, tend in that period (o become a theatre for Com-

munist revolution, owing to increasing internal weakness? Thirdly, if the destruction of Hitlerism is indeed the aim of the Allied armies, is' it not high time that an official definition of Hitlerism was incorporated in some document announcing the Allied war aims: and, if Hitlerism can be described as overmastering nationalism, should,, not the question be asked whether an internal revolution in Germany, which may be expected to mark the last phases of the present war, may not produce something as bad, if not worse, than llitlerism —say, Communism?

Ripening For Revolution Questions of this kind are being asked in all the capitals of Europe, and their answers may have a vital bearing on the length of the war. The Berlin correspondent of the Swiss newspaper. National Zcitung, of Basle, in prophesing that Berlin official circles are making all preparations for a new and large-scale peace effort, declares: “Well-informed circles at Berne are wondering if Herr Hitler is really j seared by his Russian partner, and will now make a desperate attempt to pacify his western enemies before a long war and blockade ripen a German j Red revolution.” I The correspondent adds: “Herr Hitler is well aware of opinion in ' Britain and France, but he will try to ' convince those countries that the

i situation has changed because Russia | took such a big part in the operations Jin Poland, and got an enormou: 11 ‘slice of cake' without the Western ( | Powers protesting.” Apart from the excitement created - by Herr von Ribbentrop's visit to f Moscow, and also by the talks be- - j tween Turkey and Russia, there is 1 , considerable diplomatic activity in 1 1 Paris and Rome, and at the Vatican, ' besides among all the diplomats rei; presenting the Baltic States in Paris ‘ and London. Commentators attach the s greatest weight to the K'asso-Turkish talks, which they believe—if successful — : 1 will not only block German aggression | in the , Balkans, but also replace German economic domination by Russian economic domination.”

Dream of Czarist Days Russia’s old dream of the Czarist days of establishing what amounted to a Slav confederacy from the Adriatic to the Black Sea is undoubtedly behind Russia’s diplomatic moves in the Balkans, It is also thought | that the Russo-Bulgarian talks may be intended to pave the way for a removal of the obstacles that have made Bulgaria reluctant to join the Balkan Entente—Greece, Yugoslavia, Rumania and Turkey. A Turkish guarantee of neutrality ; in the event of a war in which Russia 1 was attacked and a guarantee that the Dardanelles would not be opened to

foreign warships seeking to enter the Black Sea to operate against Russia is regarded as one of Russia’s chief aims. It would further strengthen Russia’s position if any such guarantee was backed by a Balkan bloc pledged to neutrality and including Hungary and Bulgaria.

'Some observers doubt whether Italv would join Russia in a Balkan pact, but agree that, if she was left out in the cold, the effect of the formation of a Balkan bloc pledged to neutrality would greatly impede Italy’s activities in the eastern Mediterranean should she be drawn into the struggle on Germany’s side.