A BACKGROUND TO THE NEWS

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 89, 9 January 1935, Page 7

A BACKGROUND TO THE NEWS

France and Italy A report from Rome states that M. Laval and Signor Mussolini have reached a complete agreement in the matter of a new paet. The visit of M. Laval, who succeeded M. Barthou as Foreign Minister, was arranged months ago. M. Barthou aimed at a stabilisation by means of regional pacts, on specific sectors of the European front, in order to strengthen the guarantees for peace. His endeavours with Germany and Poland bad not met - with very great success, though neither Germany nor Poland had finally rejected the proposals. In south-eastern Europe M. Barthou endeavoured to tiring about a firm rapproachement with Italy. France was prepared to acquiesce in certain colonial concessions. while at the same time striving for improved relations between Italy and Yugoslavia; obviously she had no intention of sacrificing her Yugoslavian allies to the interests of Italy, thereby thrusting Yugoslavia into the arms of Germany. M. Laval’s visit to Rome is evidence of a continuance of M. Barthou’s policy. The Austrian question is important. Without agreement be tween Italy, France and Yugoslavia, a commop policy in regard to, Austria would be impossible. It is known that Dollfuss, when Chancellor of Austria, was conducting negotiations for a reconciliation with the German and Austrian National Socialists. It is also known that the Germans have been offering Italy an agreement to respect Austrian sovereignty for a period of 10 years. France’s present success in Rome has again succeeded in bringing about the isolation of Germany. Lancashire Cotton.

The cotton spinning firms in Lancashire are said to have rejected a quota plan, or one for scrapping redundant spindles. Compared with the woollen trade, England’s oldest industry, the cotton industry is modern. It was nothing before the Industrial Revolution, but when it grew it grew quickly. In 1781 England imported 5,000,0001 b. of raw eotton. In ISOO England was importing 56,000,0001 b. The first steam engine was.installed in a Manchester eotton mill in 1789. At the same time the Southern States of the United States began sending their cotton to England. In 1806 the power loom arrived, and the industry was further mechanised. About 1850 cotton goods were, in value, nearly a third of the total value of England’s exports, until “the shiploads of raw cotton clouded the Mersey with canvas. There was an endless stream of cotton yarns and calico going out from Lancashire. We held the gorgeous East in fee.” There are firms in Lancashire that make automatic looms. They sell these in Lancashire and immediately put a few more weavers out of work. They also sell them all over the world, and every time one is loaded on a ship at Liverpool a good piece is snipped off Lancashire’s trade. In the past five years also Japanese students anxious to learn all Lancashire can teach them about the processes of calico manufacture, have been attending Lancashire technical colleges. As a result of this a good deal of Lancashire’s trade with the East has disappeared. Further, as a result of Gandhi’s boycott of Lancashire cotton goods, firms in Lancashire went out of business, and folk by the street and by the town were thrown out of work. Millions and millions of yards of dhootie cloth, used in India as loin-cloth, were sent from Lancashire annually to India. Now that trade has almost gone. The prosperity of Lancashire was chiefly based on the gigantic output ofr cheap stuff for the East. The market for the finer fabrics is limited and the competition keen. Lord Rothermere.

Lord Rothermere is advocating a reduction in imports into England and urging the Government to counter the increasing Japanese competition, especially in textiles, and to challenge Socialism. Lord Rothermere has the means of giving publicity to his views that no other man in the world has. His name is Harold Harmsworth, and succeeded to the newspaper interests of his brother, Alfred Harmsworth, better known as Lord Northcliffe. Lord Northcliffe started the ‘‘Daily Mirror” as a woman’s daily and Lord Rothermere took it over later. The "Daily Mirror” controls the ‘‘Sunday Pictorial”; together they control the Daily Mail Trust; the Daily Mail Trust owns 53 1-3 per cent, of the deferred shares of the Asosciated Newspapers Limited, which owns the “Daily Mail,” "Evening News,” “Weekly Despatch,” “Overseas Daily Mail.” Then the "Daily Mirror” and “Sunday Pictorial” control, the “Daily Sketch” and the “Sunday Herald” and the Empire Paper Mills. Lord Rothermere controls the whole lot by controlling the “Daily Mirror.” Merely by owning more than half the 700,000 £1 ordinary shares in Daily Mirror Newspapers Limited Lord Rothermere now controls five newspaper companies, with a combined share and loan capital of £7,355,437, valued on the Stock Exchange at £24,000,000. Bury the Hatchet.

“If the Saar is returned to Germany,” said Dr. Goebbels, “we are willing to bury the hatchet once and for all.” The term “to bury the hatchet” means “to cease from hostilities,” “to forget injuries,” “to make peace,” “to let bygones be bygones.” The “Great Spirit” commanded the North American Indians, when they smoked the calumet or peace-pipe, to bury their hatchet, scalping knives, and warclubs, that all thought of hostility might be put out of sight. In “Hiawatha,” Longfellow says:— Buried was the bloody hatchet; Buried was ihe dreadful war-club; Buried were all warlike weapons, And the war-cry was forgotten; Then was peace among the nations. Munich. The Duke and Duchess of Kent are visiting Munich, and . Nazi salutes greeted them on their arrival. Munich, the capital of Bavaria, is situated in a barren plain, 1700 feet above sealevel, chiefly on the west bank of the swift-flowing Isar (or Iser), a tributary of the Danube. It is 440 miles south of Berlin, and 272 miles west of Vienna. Its elevated situation and its closeness to the Alps render the city liable to sudden changes of temperature. It is one of the handsomest cities in Germany, and the richest in art treasures, while itself famous for its school of painting. Its university has nearly 300 professors and 10,000 students, and its library more than 500,000 volumes. Munich’s stained-glass works, iron, brass, and bell foundries, lithographing and engraving works, and manufactories of optical and mathematical instruments are deservedly noted. Still more famous are the enormous breweries of Bavarian beer which annually produce more than 50,000,000 gallons, most of which is consumed in the city itself,