With the war-scare headlines simmering down to more announcements of mild notes of protest by England to Germany and similar action in the offing by France and Italy, world citizenry can once more relax and review the situation calmly over the breakfast coffee. Hitler, with his usual flair for the dramatic, has timed the action to the minute and left the other countries gasping for wind.

For there is little doubt that the effect of Hitler's bombshell was as astounding to him as to the world at large. That an avowedly antagonistic, chronically suspicious France should wait four days before even calling a cabinet meeting to dispatch any sort of a protest was incredible; but that she should furthermore tag along behind a Britain become singularly prudent probably exceeded his fondest expectations.

Though a preventive war with the support of England was unthinkable, action on the part of the other Powers might have meant chaos at home, rather than incur which threat he probably would have been quite willing to retreat to "previously prepared positions."

And it was just that possibility of chaos which Herr Hitler had in mind and that motivated the present action in the last analysis. It was a smoke-screen whose effect was primarily for home consumption and, whichever way dispersed on the resulting gale was calculated to enhance the Fuehrer's prestige at home. That it has enveloped him in a mantle of masterful heroism rather than a martyr's shroud for the German people, is simply so much grist to his mill. His position, which the events of the past year, such as the murderous party purge at Munich and elsewhere, indicated as extremely precarious, is again made secure--for the present. Meanwhile a conciliatory attitude by England should be a potent factor in dispelling the "ring of steel" attitude of mind from the German people which Chancellor Hitler has been at such pains to foster. The war spirit in Germany is entirely too artificial not to respond to intelligent treatment.