News Behind the Headlines

Opotiki News, Volume II, Issue 271, 15 December 1939, Page 1 (Supplement)

News Behind the Headlines

The TnciHo story of What is Happening in the World To-Day

. CURZON LINE

Despite the provocation of Russia’s invasion of Finland, the British Government is less outspoken than the press. When Poland was created at the conference at Versailles, the boundaries suggested were almost identical with the Russian boundary today. Seizing the opportunity the Poles, under Pilsudski, attacked the disorganised Russians and occupied the Ukraine and Kiev. When the Bolsheviks turned and chased the Poles back to Warsaw the Poles squealed for help. Lloyd George had had quite enough fighting Russians in Archangel and Baku. The French, however, sent "Maxie” Weygand, who organised a Polish Army and drove the Russians back 150 miles. Bearing this, and the history of Finland in mind, Lord Halifax refused to denounce Russia. In fact, Anglo-Russian understanding has improved recently.

ANTI-COMINTERN.

The words “Anti-Comintern” should immediately arouse your suspicions, for they are the gangster nations’ favourite justification for acts of piracy. Japan invaded Manchuria with indescribable brutality to “ stamp out Communism.” The same excuse was made for Hitler’s invasion of Spain and Czechoslovakia. 1 hat M. Daladier should resort to such tactics now is deplorable. The enemy we are fighting is Nazi Germany. Until Stalin joins Hitler in a military alliance against the Allies, he should be treated as a neutral. So far, Lord Halifax states that Russian moves have been not without justification. There is a grave danger at present of extremists endeavouring to divert attention from Germany to Russia, the fuss made about Finland is comical when we recall the cynical sacrifice of Czechoslovakia or Spain. No voice was lifted against Mussolini when he invaded Albania. There are many who question the wisdom of sending British planes and arms to Finland. British planes aic needed on the Western Front, and in India, Egypt, China, Australia and New Zealand much more than in Finland. The fact that Germany and Italy are supplying the Finns with arms is in itself significant. From our point of view, Russian conti ol of Finland and Rumania is greatly to be preferred to German control. To champion Finland is not far removed from championing Germany.

. . . WAR AIMS. The British Government has cannily refused to commit itself to a full declaration of its war aims. The vague generalisations that the Nazi Party must be destroyed have been sufficient to satisfy the masses in Britain, but not in America. It is no secret that there is a conflict between London and Paris on “ war aims/ Mr. Duff Cooper, now on a lecture tour in the U.S.A., startled the world by stating that Britain favoured a restoration of the Monarchy in Germany, with Prince Otto of Hapsburg as the proposed Kaiser. I his statement caused the British Government a great deal of embarrassment.

. REPETITION.

History repeats itself. In the last war Britain and France could not agree what should oe done to a vanquished Germany. The French plan now is to split the Reich into a number of small States. From a military point of view, this will probably guarantee Europe the greatest security. Mr. Chamberlain, however, contends that such a collection of small States would not be as profitable for British finance as a strong Germany. “ solve ” the problem of wliat to do with the Czechs and Poles, and would, it is claimed, be a barrier between Russia and the Allies.

. . . INTRIGUE.

The situation has all the settings of a Ruritanian musical comedy. The Hapsburgs, imagining they had an empire in the bag, began building' castles in the air. While young Prince Otto was busy considering whom he would make dukes, etc., out of the bushes stepped the Wittelsbachs, claiming that if anyone is going to be the new Kaiser of the Catholic Empire, that man was a Wittelsbach. The fun has only just begun. The list of claimants will include all the dissolute princelings of Europe. The antics of these pretenders to the throne of a non-existent Empire is providing some of the best entertainment in diplomatic circles.

. U.S. WAR LOAN.

The cash-and-carry basis at present operating for purchases of war materials from America cannot last. In the first weeks of war, astronomical amounts of money were secretly transfened to America by people who feared that the Government would “ conscript ” it. Vast as this was, it was not more spectacular than the profits made by gentlemen in London who sold Hitler unprecedented quantities of copper, tin, rubber and other war materials, at prices only a desperate man would pay. these patriots transferred their profits to foreign “ dummy ” title holders, so that no portion of them would have to be surrendered if the Government conscripted wealth. Despite these manoeuvres, Britain and France are in a much better position financially than they were in 1914. Gold and securities to the value of approximately £2,360,000,000 arc held in America, but, vast as this sum is, it is estimated that it will only cover a fraction of the purchases of arms required.

. . . DOUBLE DUTCH. The unfortunate Dutch are likely to be the next victims of Nazi blackmail. Holland’s trade is divided almost equally between Germany and Britain. Her large common frontier with Germany, and the close business and cultural ties of the two countries, have enabled Hitler to plant a strong Nazi organisation (a Fifth Column) in Holland. Nazi pressure was responsible for the bellicose threats of reprisals against the British blockade which were reported last week.

The Dutch rely on sea as their first line of defence. Much of Holland is below sea-level. The highest part is only 600 feet above the sea. The Dutch open the dykes and flood vast areas of country. Now that Nazi forces are massing on the Dutch bor.der, whole provinces have been flooded.

.JAPAN

While John Bull was busying himself about the sad fate of Finland, the little yellow men of Japan were busy outside the walls of Hong Kong. Ministers were actually discussing plans of pushing Britain out of China. British investors have lost £300,000,000 in China, not to mention numerous trousers. Last week the American Navy manoeuvred in the Pacific. President Roosevelt discussed possible measures to be taken if Japan became more truculent. Senator Clark, of -Missouri, voiced the unpleasant truth that Japan could not wage a war without the help of America and Britain; 55.4 per cent, of Japan’s war imports came from U.S.A., 17.5 per cent, from Britain, 7.4 per cent, from Holland, 3.4 per cent, from Germany. Although individual firms in these countries (with the approval of their Governments) sell armaments to any robber, public opinion resents aggression. Japanese exports contin&e following figures hyre■P iJPK 48 per lands 34 per cent., Canada 28|>er cent., India 27 per cent., South Africa 24 per cent., Great Britain 9 per cent.

. . ROYAL TOUR.

His Majesty the King has been touring the British sector of the Western Front. With him are the Duke of Gloucester and Lord Gort, V.C. The King had lunch with President Lebrun, M. Daladier and high Allied officers in a little village restaurant. His Majesty inspected aerodromes, gun emplacements, trenches, and chatted freely to the men. In England the Queen was busy inspecting women’s units. Not mentioned were the Dukes of Kent and Windsor.

. AUSTRALIA.

The old French custom of Parliamentary tight-rope walking has spread to Australia. The slightest breeze of criticism sends Mr. Menzies’ Government into a wobble. Last month it was that persistent bogey, Mr. Lang. Last week the issue was soldiers’ pay.

Australia is now building complete aeroplanes. The Government now contemplates encouraging the manufacture of motor-

cars. A subsidy of £1,500,000 will be made available to assist the industry. . . . HUNGARIAN LAMENT. Since Lord Rothermere (the king-maker) confessed in couit that he had tried to make his son, the Hon. Esmond Harmsworth, King of Hungary, the cable news has had little to say abount Hungary; yet things are happening there that may change the whole course of the war.

THE ENEMY WITHIN.

In every Country, Hitler has a “ Fifth Column,” a group of influential people who fear socialism so much that they would go to any length to suppress it. Hitler being the champion Redbaiter, these patriotic souls regard him as their saviour. The Fifth Column in Hungary has a tradition of brutality only equalled in Rumania and Spain. These sadistic morons gorged themselves on blood during the White Terror of 1920-21. When Hitler rose to power, it was natural that they should recognise a kindred spirit. Despite the endeavours of the Premier, Count Teleki, a conservative aristocrat, the Fifth Column made Hungary a spiritual and financial colony of the Third Reich.

GERMAN MINORITY.

There are 500,000 Germans in Hungary, the majority of'whom prefer to be loyal Hungarians. It is not surprising, therefore, to garian . At '' vf Wyf partly Jewish descent, imrtff?,,. joined the Anti-Comintern Pact, and encouraged Jew-baiting as well as Red-baiting. This super-

Aryan proved to be a renegade Jew. . . . GESTAPO. The Hungarian people do not like the Germans. Hitler himself is unpopular. But the Fifth Column and the Hungarian Nazi Party have established the dread Gestapo, or secret police. Critics of the Nazi regime are murdered or mutilated by professional thugs.

. ..PEASANT POVERTY.

Hungarian wheat and meat are essential to Hitler, but the Hungarians get little advantage from German trade. Resentment against Hitler is reaching the point of rebellion. Like Spain, Poland and Rumania, Hungary is a feudal State. The masses live on the starvation line. Such people are easy converts to Communism. Since the abortive Bolshevik revolution in 1920, any tendency towards democracy has been rigorously suppressed. Now Russia has a common frontier, and the insidious propaganda of Communism is already pervading

Hungarian life. There is no doubt, too, that the peasants would be much better off under Russia than under Hitler’s satellites.

. MUSSOLINI'S PLANS

For years, Mussolini considered Hungary his special sphere, and Italian gold financed the Fifth Column. But here, as elsewhere, the better organised Germans have usurped Italian influence. But Mussolini has not renounced his aims of ruling the Balkan roost. While helping his Axis-partner, Adolf, on the sly, B.M. is ogling Britain and France in the hope that they will help him maintain his power in Hungary and Yugoslavia. This Mr. Chamberlain would like to do; but Britain has pledged her support to Turkey, which also seeks to rule the Balkan roost.

. CHURCHILL’S STRATEGY.

The Turkish Pact is largely the work of Winston Churchill, who has the best brain in the Cabinet. Mr. Churchill’s plan is to try and woo Russia away from Germany to the Allies through Turkey. This would weaken Hitler’s position immensely.

. HITLER LOOKS EAST.

Hitler is depending for vital supplies on Hungary and Rumania.';His whole policy has been to his annexation of attacking [ and K\ [ made them Hr, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonrcr and Finland(?) To Hitler one of the most important attractions of Rumania as a Ger-

man conquest was the fact that there are 6,000,000 Russian Ukranians in it. Hiller planned to use these Ukranians to undermine their comrades in Russia, and so enable him to seize the whole Ukraine,* from Crimea to the Carpathians. Stalin, too, has read “ Mein Kampf,” and it is a safe bet that his next move, after retaking Finland, will be to absorb Rumania.

At this stage, there will be a determined attempt by extremists in Britain, France, Italy, Scandinavia and Spain to divert the war on Hitler to war on Stalin. Incredible as this sounds, it is already being voiced in high circles. The British guarantee to Rumania was intended to apply to Hitler, but these extremists will attempt to extend it to Russia.

. . . THE REASON.

In the case of Finland, there is no immediate ulterior reason for British anxiety, but in Rumania the oil industry is largely controlled by Anglo-Dutch capital. Now many of these extremists are oil kings, and their hatred of Russia can be traced to the fact that Russia confiscated the Baku oilfields just at the moment when they had spent some £100,000,000 to gain control of this vast oil deposit. Those who know the amazing story of the war for control of these wells will appreciate the bitter hatred of these would-be monopolists whose plans were foiled. Their hatred is not lessened by the fact that the man who outwitted them, one Josef Dgushaili (Stalin) is to-day Dictator of Russia.

GALLIPOLI.

In the last war, Mr. Churchill proposed the brilliant plan of a rear attack on the German lines through Hungary. This campaign was bungled at Gallipoli, and ended as a tragic fiasco. Military strategists admit that it was brilliantly conceived, and would most likely have been successful.

The plan failed largely because of the Turkish resistance. The Turk is a born soldier. Today the Turks are our Allies.

Turkey and Italy are rivals. The Italian conquest of Albania was undertaken solely to give Mussolini a base of operations against Turkey.

Mr. Churchill's plan was to follow the route of the Turkish armies from time immemorial into the Danube Basin. This plan has not been forgotten. There are many indications that it may be revived in the immediate future.

. BRITISH WEALTH.

There are about 21,000,000 people in Great Britain, who are what the income-tax assessors call “ gainfully employed.” This includes those who have private incomes or live on pensions, but also work. Of these, 13,000,000 earn less than £l3O a year; 3,500,000 earn less than £l6O a year; 2,000,000 earn less than £2OO a year; 1,500,000 earn less than £4OO a year. That is, more than 20,000,000 out of the total of 21,000,000 employed earn less than £8 a week. Other income groups are : — £4OO-£ 1,000—510,500 people. £l,ooo-£2,000—142,900 people. £2,000-£5,000—62,630 people. £5,000-£25,000—24,600 people. £25,000-£155,000—2,220 people. Over £IOO,OO0 —165 people.

Of these, 900 are classed as millionaires.

The division of property is evepi more unequal; 18,611,000 149,( £25,(X)0 n 18,000 own between £25,000£IOO,OOO.

4,580 own between £IOO,OOO- - 1,305 own more than £250,000. The wealth of the top classes is amazing. One-seventy-second of the population own 72 per cent, of the wealth, or more than the remaining 18,500,000 people!