Wairarapa Times-Age WEDNESDAY, MAY. 3, 1939. AN EXTENDING MENACE.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 May 1939, Page 4

Wairarapa Times-Age WEDNESDAY, MAY. 3, 1939. AN EXTENDING MENACE.

WHILE some predictions have. been made that, the Nazi dictatorship will abstain from any further major move in its campaign of aggression until August, there are already indications that a new and violent campaign is being launched against Poland, ostensibly in support of a demand for the return of Danzig to Germany. With honesty and goodwill exercised on both sides, the problem of Danzig and that of the Corridor might easily be brought to a satisfactory settlement. It seriously bars any approach to such a settlement, however, that honesty and good faith are elements unknown in Nazi policy.

Danzig is a German city. The Polish Corridor the strip of territory which divides East Prussia from West Prussia—is historically Polish and has today an overwhelming majority of Poles in its population. In a peaceful world, the control of these divisions of territory need raise no difficulty whatever. Conditions of access and transport might easily be arranged which would give no one any reason for complaint. In light of what the Nazis have done, however, it is certain that any concession made to them in regard to Danzig and the Corridor will be used by them as a step towards extorting further concessions. The real problem is not that of determining the sovereignty of Danzig and arriving at reasonable adjustments in the Corridor, but that of setting limits to Nazi provocation and aggression.

It is an initial and tremendous difficulty that Nazi promises are worthless. To mention only a few outstanding examples, Herr Hitler and his Government stand convicted before the world of having deliberately violated their own pledges, voluntarily given, in regard to the Locarno Treaty, non-inter-vention in Spain, the independent sovereignty of Austria and the independent sovereignty of Czechoslovakia. In light of these and related facts it is natural that Herr Hitler should take every opportunity of abusing and calumniating the newspapers of countries in which freedom of the Press still obtains. It is vital to the German Fuehrer and his kind that those with whom they are dealing should be involved to the greatest extent that is possible in the darkness of ignorance. The policy and deeds of the dictators will not bear the light of day.

In view of what has happened recently in Europe, there can be no doubt that the Nazi campaign now directed against Poland embodies a deadly and indefinitely extending threat, not only to that country, but to all free nations. All the world knows that Czechoslovakia was invaded and annexed by Germany while the Prime Minister of Great Britain was stilj depending on an assurance given him by Herr Hitler that he had no desire to incorporate non-German territory in the Reich. Commenting on these facts, Mr Anthony Eden wrote recently:—

The pretext employed to excuse the inexcusable only makes matters worse. The picture is painted to us of the alleged sufferings 'of a German minority in the Czech State. No shred of evidence is brought forward to substantiate these charges, and the reason for the failure can be simply stated; no such evidence exists. On the contrary, with the passage of time the tactics employed become ever more blatantly apparent. A campaign of provocation by a small minority from within, stimulated by assistance from without, was unscrupulously exploited. The first .lesson, then, that we need to note is that this method is capable of further abuse. Now at least we are forewarned.

It cannot be doubted that this lesson and warning have an unqualified bearing on the campaign the Nazis are now directing against Poland. The Nazis will limit their aggression only in the extent to which they are definitely checked and it is not to be denied that the problem thus raised is exceedingly formidable and difficult.

Seeking to facilitate an adjustment, of such questions as are raised regarding Danzig and the Polish Corridor, countries like Britain and France normally aim at securing the acceptance of a reasonable compromise, on the assumption that if it is accepted it will stand. The Nazi policy, however, is one of continuing extortion, and in dealing with the smaller countries of Europe which lie, as Poland does, in the path of their ambition, they have developed a technique of provocation, intrigue and bullying which these countries are ill fitted to withstand.

With the bitter example of Czechoslovakia fresh in memory, it may at least be hoped that Britain and Hrance will avoid the disastrous error of putting pressure on Poland to induce her to make unwarranted concessions to Nazi Germany. Something more than a negative policy of resistance to aggression is needed, however, to open up any promising prospect of peace in Europe. The demands of the situation would be met fully only by an effective association of all peace-loving nations in support of the principles of collective security—in other words by an effective reconstitution of the League of Nations. It is only in the extent to which that reconstitution is approached that reason will appear for looking to the future s with confidence.

PARENTS AND THE DENTAL CLINIC.

JTOR their credit’s sake, parents of primary school children in Masterton should be eager to improve upon the state of affairs against which a strong and well-justified protest was made by the chairman of the Dental Clinic Committee (Mr AV. R. Nicol) in a statement published yesterday. Not only is the committee involved in financial difficulties, but children in some instances are being deprived of the great benefits of regular dental treatment because a proportion of the parents will not make the modest payment of five shillings per child per annum that is asked for.

So bad is the position in Masterton, according to Mr Nicol, that unless parents stand up to their responsibilities, the Dental Clinic Committee will have to devise some other scheme or close down altogether. No similar trouble is experienced in other districts and there does not seem to be any excuse for the deplorably poor standard set in Masterton. Where parents are unable to pay, their children are given dental treatment free. If there are parents not able to afford to pay who refrain out of sensitiveness or pride from making application for exemption, they should consider that they may thus be prejudicing very seriously the future health and welfare of their children.

There does not seem to be any doi|bt, however, that in a good many instances the modest payment sought by the Dental. Clinic is withheld by parents who are well able to make it, and it is suggested by Air Nicol that as a result a number of children are deprived of the advantages of dental care and treatment. This evidently should not be allowed to continue. The simplest and most obvious remedy is that all parents able to do so should see to it that their children get dental treatment on the very liberal terms on which it is offered. Apathy and carelessness probably are at the root of the matter and every effort, certainly should be made to awaken defaulting parents to a sense of their responsibilities to their children.

Apart from the duty they owe to their children, parents should be more than willing to simplify the task of the Dental Clinic Committee, a body of voluntary workers who seek no other reward than the knowledge that in administering the school dental service they are making a valuable contribution to community welfare.