The Daily News. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1920. EUROPEAN TROUBLES.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 October 1920, Page 4

The Daily News. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1920. EUROPEAN TROUBLES.

A recent message states that the Berlin correspondent of the Daily Express reports that East Prussia is going to war with PolanS owing to the Vilna coup. This maybe merely a scare sensation, or there may be grounds for treating the statement seriously. At present the cloud is do' bigger than a man's hand, and it may vanish as speedily as it has arisen, but who can tell whether it may not be the nucleus of a storm that may again shake Europe? Prussia has been for many- years the storm centre of militarism. It was the cradle of the German Empire, and its junkers are military autocrats of the worst kind, to whom all things are subservient to the law of conquest. The correspondent states that many well disciplined and well-armed troops are ready to march to the aid of Lithuania, and that East Prussia is beyond the control of the central. German Government. The Prussians do not admit being defeated in the late war; they are monarchists all through, and it is well known they are ready and eager to restore Germany to her former military greatness. Any pretext would serve their purpose, but none would be likely to forward their plans so effectively as a war against the Poles, the hereditary enemies of the Germans. Prussian junkers have made a fine art of engineering troubles to suit their aims, and it would seem they are even more steeped than ever in plotting to regain their lost prestige and power. It is significant that events in Germany at the present time are of such a nature as to encourage the hopes of the militarists that a dictatorship may become necessary. According to a recent Press message from Berlin, the newspapers there published reports from several sources to the effect that German communists are completing the organisation of a Red Army, and are planning a revolution to take place in the coming winter for the establishment of a dictatorship of the proletariat. The Socialists, however, contend there is a greater danger from the Monarchists,' who are retaining their arms, while the workers have delivered up theirs. The outstanding feature of the position is that it affords all sections of the German people an excuse, as well as an incentive to obtain arms and take' part in military training, a step that will admirably serve the aims of the Junkers, whose next move would be to induce various conflicting elements to bink their differences and make common cause against the detested and despised Poles—after which the deluge. Not for a moment can

Prussia, on the pretext of helping Lithuania, making war on Poland, and even though~t}ie contingency may be far more remote than it seems, no time should be lost in making known tiiat under no circumstances will they permit such a war. It is to be hoped aho! that the Allies will take advantage of the opportunity for insisting on the complete and speedy observance by the Germans, and especially the Prussians, of the military terms of the treaty, and will be adamant in their refusal to qualify those terms under any pretext whatever,

PACIFICATION OF EGYPT. The Bolution of the Egyptian problem is a matter of vital importance to the British Empire. It is to the advantage of Egypt to regain her national independence, and it is equally desirable tha't Britain shall have Egypt as an ally instead of an enemy. Egypt and India are so closely connected in many ways, and both are so linked up in the chain of British Empire, that any measure of self-government accorded to one cannot foe withheld from the other, hence the interest that is attached to the far-reaching agreement arrived at between the Miluer Commission and Zaghlnl Pasha and his colleagues regarding the future government of Egypt. By this agreement the independence of Egypt is recognised and her integrity guaranteed by Britain, in return for which Egypt recognises Britain's privileged position in the valley of the Nile, and in the event of war, gives her every facility and access to Egyptian territory, Britain to maintain a garrison in the canal zone. Egypt will regain control of her foreign relations, subject to her not making treaties at variance with British policy, and will have the right to have her own diplomatic representatives abroad. Although a British official will take over and carry out the operations of the Public Debt Commission, and another British official will look after legislation affecting foreigners, there will be no more advisers in the different Ministries than at present is the case. At the same time the rights of British: officials at present in the service are safe-guarded, and compensation provided for those whose services are dispensed with or who desire to resign. Such a liberal agreement should have the effect of putting an end to Egypt's grievances. As an ally Egypt would be of greater service than as a subject country. All that is needed for her future welfare is loyajty and good faith.