It would be the height of imprudence to seek for one moment to gloze over the seriousness of the situation as it has now developed in Europe, and while at the time of writing it appeared that there was still a chance that war might be avoided, it must be admitted that the chance is a very small one. Developments on Tuesday are not to be taken as arising immediately out of Herr Hitler's speech at Nuremberg on Monday, hough it is apparent that what he said, and ihe manner in which he said it has en-urged Herr Henlein to take the line he Towards the end of last week it was ported that a substantial increase in the number of incidents, for which it was alleged he Sudeten Germans were responsible, indicated either that the leaders were unable o maintain that discipline over the party which has been one of the outstanding features of the whole crisis, or that they had lifted the ban upon such irregularities aleulated to bring about clashes with the zéchoslovakian authorities. On Tuesday conditions had deteriorated to such an extent hat Prague instituted the equivalent of martial law, for the purpose of restoring order, Before the day had ended Herr Hen-loin had delivered a demand to the Government demanding the lifting of the regulations ithin six hours. Well within the time laid lown the Government indicated that it could not agree to it, though it became apparent that the door was not closed to fur-her negotiations. Later it was announced that Herr Henlein considered that in the circumstances further negotiations were impossible. Lord Runciman appears to be the only connecting link between the Czechoslovakian Government and the Sudeten Germans and the position is just about as grave as it possibly can be short of an actual outbreak of war. The seriousness of the situation is enhanced by the fact that since Monday a dangerous consideration has been imported nto the dispute by the practical-rejection of the Prague concessions, in favour of a plebiste and the demand of the Sudetens for the right of self-determination.
That that was always at the back of Herr Henlein's mind must be accepted. The concessions which Prague has been persuaded to make have been considered as signs of weakness by its enemies, and weakness not only of the Czechoslovakian Government, but also of France and Great Britain. And so the greatest bluff of the crisis is being attempted. That it is a bluff seems apparent, for while there can be no doubt that Germany would go to the assistance of the Sudeten Germans, it is clear that it is hoped ey this threat of war to bring upon Dr. Hodza that last ounce of pressure which ould bring about that abject surrender without which the desires of Herren Hitler and Henlein can never be fully satisfied, and so avoid the actual outbreak of hostilities. Already the casuistical argument is being heard that it is foolish and deplorable that the fate of some three-and-a-half million Germans should be responsible for plunging the whole of Europe into war, the suggestion being that it would be better to give way than plunge into that catastrophe which is thus threatened. But if every European disagreement is only to be settled under the guns of war, if principles, honour and inter-ational morality are to give way before every threat of force, mankind will have reached so low an ebb that it will hardly be able to call its soul its own. There is also a tendency to be noted in the press of certain countries to regard this present struggle as the battle between democracies and totalitarian states. That the dressing of the opposing sides gives some support to the suggestion cannot be denied; it is, however, wholly wrong to believe that the present crisis is one between ideologies as such, but rather the result of an issue in which international morals are at stake. Thus the Czechoslovakian dispute is not to be placed in the same category as the civil war in Spain, where Fascism and Bolshevism have indeed locked horns, but rather one in which international spiritual values are deeply involved.
Herr Henlein by his action in issuing such a demand -on the sovereign government of his country did something which could only meet with rejection, no matter in what graceful terms that fact may be expressed. He could not have believed for one moment that there could have been any other result. It was a desperate action which could have only the worst possible effect on an already dangerous situation, and the responsibility which he has taken upon himself is indeed a grave one. Eqdally heavy is the burden which has thus been thrust upon Herr Hitler. On the face of it, it would appear that no more concessions can be made by Prague, and to Mr. G. B. Shaw's "Pygmalion," may prove it is not to be believed that either France or' of some assistance.
Great Britain would desire the Czechoslovakian Government to do more than it already has. The next move is still with the leader of the Sudetens, and if the plains of Europe are to resound to the marching of troops, if nations are to be plunged into all the misery and suffering more hideous than that endured during the Great War, he and the people behind him can alone decide. 1t it comes it will be a war very easy to start, but in all probability most difficult to stop. It is possible that there are very dark days ahead, days in which the determination and fortitude of humanity will be most severely tried. There is no one who will not hope that, even at this late hour, this dreadful ordeal may yet be averted; but if it is not, if the only settlement possible is by arbitrament of war—which has never settled anything in the past, and will not now—then it will have to be met with all the calmness and determination possible. There is no evidence available from either London or Paris that the war spirit has in any way been sedulously fostered. There are, on the other hand, signs of a calm acceptance of whatever may follow which is infinitely more dangerous, That Germany does not desire war may be readily accepted. That, however, is equally true of Great Britain and France, but it is wholly inconceivable that either or both of the latter should abandon what they believe to be a righteous cause simply because of a threat which they are quite capable of meeting.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.