Wairarapa Times-Age MONDAY, MAY 8, 1939. A NEW DEFENSIVE LINE.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 May 1939, Page 4

Wairarapa Times-Age MONDAY, MAY 8, 1939. A NEW DEFENSIVE LINE.

APPLAUDED in Britain and France as being at, once firm and conciliatory, the speech in which the Polish Foreign Minister (Colonel Beck) replied to Herr Hitler is said to have inspired in “unofficial quarters” in Berlin the jeer that 1 olancl has climbed down even further than Germany expected, resulting' in the immediate revival of talk that Germany will .soon absorb Danzig.” To say the least,, evidence of this climbing down is not visible to the unprejudiced eye. “Colonel Beck declared in uncomprising terms that Poland would maintain her rights in Danzig and in the territory which he refuses to call the Corridor, insisting instead on the term “our province of Pomerania.” This is not climbing clown. Pointing, out that the predominantly German population 01. Danzig enjoyed an unfettered local freedom, the Polish Ministei protested against Germany’s demand for the annexation of tie Free City and summed up the whole position in asking what was the real aim of Germany policy. Is it (he said) the freedom of the German population, which is not menaced, or a question of prestige? Is it a question of barring Poland from the Baltic, from which Poland will not let herself be barred? , The same consideration concerns communications across our province of Pomerania. In brief, as Colonel Beck has now defined the position, Poland willingly guarantees full local autonomy to the admittedly German city of Danzig and already concedes a liberal freedom of passage between East and West Prussia. She is willing further to discuss these questions with Germany, but rejects demands that would impair her national rights or sovereignty. It would appear that Poland is taking a stand in which she is entitled to rely unreservedly upon the support guaranteed by Britain and France. The terms of the British guarantee, as they were stated'by Mr Chamberlain in the House of Commons at the end of March last, were: — In the event of any action which clearly threatened Polish independence and which the Polish Government accordingly considered it vital to resist with their national forces, his Majesty s Government would feel themselves bound at once to lend the Polish Government all support in their power. Not Poland /mly, but Britain and France are thus taking a sfand against further totalitarian aggression. The democracies have established a new defensive line in. Poland. The outlook is not as promising as it was while Czechoslovakia, was still on her feet —a true democracy, armed to the teeth —but if Poland is not, in some respects as well worth supporting as was Czechoslovakia, it is yet clear that another surrender to totalitarian aggression would open appalling prospects, not only for Poland, but for the European democracies and for the whole world. Uncertainty as to the attitude of Russia, following on the resignation of M. Litvinoff and the dismissal of all the high officials of the Soviet Foreign Office, does not brighten the immediate outlook. Whatever Russia may elect to do or to leave undone, however, resistance to the totalitarian bid for European ami world domination has become for the democracies a iqatter of self-preservation. The established facts of the position give full point and force to the protest of the London “Daily Telegraph” that: “Occasional comments here and in France about Danzig not being worth a war are deplorable, and calculated to defeat the confidence of the peace front.” The London “Times” is quoted as saying: “The problem must be settled by diplomatic means. Danzig alone is not worth a war, hut an attempt by force to solve the problem would be an additional instance of methods which the world is no longer prepared io tolerate.” This ignominiously begs the vital question raised. The implied suggestion that the terms of any adjustment reached by Germany and Poland matter little so long as the use of force is avoided can awaken only derision.

The problem of Czechoslovakia was not solved by an actual use of military force, but the independence of lhat gallant little country nevertheless was destroyed as completely as if she had been conquered and beaten to her knees. If recent history is not Io repeat itself, Germany must not only be resisted if she attempts to use force against Poland, but must be resisted as determinedly in whatever efforts she may make to gain her ends by the alternative methods of conspiracy, provocation and falsehood which she brought to bear so successfully upon the subjugation of Czechoslovakia.