Wairarapa Times-Age MONDAY, AUGUST 21, 1939. NAZI THREATS IN EUROPE.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 August 1939, Page 4

Wairarapa Times-Age MONDAY, AUGUST 21, 1939. NAZI THREATS IN EUROPE.

AT Hie moment, and not, without reason, attention is centred on Danzig as the point of critical decision in Europe. Britain and France have given guarantees to Poland under which thev would at once be involved m war d German) attempted to carry into effect the latest utterances of some ot her more or less official spokesmen—notably the assert ion cabled on Saturday that it would be as big a disaster tor Germany to turn back now. with reference to Danzig, as to lose a war. Whether the Nazi dictatorship is really prepared to go to war over Danzig and in the hope of overthrowing I olish independence should be known in the very neai Inlnn. 1 ’ the question still open, some reasons appear for doubting whether the Free City and related issues are as much inthe forefront of the Nazi programme as the present state ol aft airs in Europe might seem to suggest. There have been and are some interesting indications that Herr Hitler and his associates are much more seriously intent at present on the extension o. German hegemony in south-eastern Europe than upon the recovery of Danzig and the overthrow of: Polish independence. Of late there has been a natural tendency to regard various developments of Nazi policy as leading up to an attack on Poland. A few days ago, for example, it was reported that it was believed that Germany was putting pressure on Hungary for a militarv alliance enabling Germany to attack Poland across Ruthenia, a line of approach that would enable the invaders to strike at Poland’s vital industrial area,, which was specially selected after the Great War because it was then distant from the German frontier. While a military alliance with Hungary undoubtedly would be of advantage to Germany from the point of view ot an attack on Poland, it has to be considered that an extension of control over Hungary may in itself appeal to the Nazisjis at present an even more desirable achievement than an invasion of Poland, particularly in view of the fact that the latter would entail European war, while even the conquest of Hungary probably would not. It has been said that Hungary, above all the countries lying in Germany’s, path, believes that the Nazis sooner or later will take action against her and these fears evidently are not entertained without reason. That Hitler would like to add Hungary to those parts of the pre-war empire of AustriaHungary on which he has already laid hands goes without saying. ' Both from an economic standpoint and as a military asset /Hungary would be a very great prize. Hungary produces an enormous surplus of the best grain in Europe, she is working large deposits of lignite and has a small, but increasing production of mineral oil. Her output of the last-mentioned commodity is expected to reach 1,000 tons a year by 1942. Hungary is able, also, to export great quantities of livestock. At present, Germany’s trade with Hungary is of small dimensions on account of the limited amount of foreign exchange at the disposal of the Reich: These difficulties certainly would be overcome, from Germany’s standpoint, it Hungary were brought completely under Nazi domination. ft counts for a great deal, also, that the Hungarian territory is an important section of the Danube Valley—Germany’s route of approach to Rumania, the Black Sea and beyond. Taking everything into account, there are visible reasons lor believing that the extension of German control over Hungary may represent, for the time at least, rather an end in itself than preparation for an attack on Poland. The establishment ol: a German military protectorate over Slovakia, which no doubt is in effect a seizure of that territory, may be much more significant in imposing new pressure on Hungary than as having any bearing on an invasion ol: Poland from the south. The broad facts are that the actual’ or virtual possession of Hungary would be a much greater prize for the Nazi dictatorship than Danzig and the Polish Corridor, and probably, too, a prize that could be grasped with relatively little danger. Hungary has already so far become a satellite of Nazi Germany that it is unlikely that the great democracies would feel bound to resist Nazi aggression directed against, her. Certainly she is covered by no such guarantees as the, democracies have given to Poland, Rumania and Greece. Much as Danzig at present engages attention, it is quite possible that the actual immediate objective of the Nazi dictatorship is an extension of its hegemony over Hungary arid that the Danzig campaign, with all its fire and fury, is, as Polish official newspapers declared recently, merely a pretext to cover the extension of German hegemony in Europe—perhaps only a diversion designed to distract attention from the real aims of Nazi policy at the present stage. DAIRY T.B. TESTING. ~AJUCH as the comprehensive testing of dairy herds in Now Zealand for tuberculosis is to be desired, the difficulties standing in the way are formidable enough Io suggest and justify a reasonably deliberate approach io the full achievement. In an extended review of the whole position which appeared in our news columns on Saturday, the Minister of Agriculture (Mr Lee Martin) dealt, amongst other things, with factors of cost and of effect on production which no doubt need serious consideration. It may be hoped, however, that farmers and others will be content with nothing less than measures aiming at the complete eradication of tuberculosis from the dairy herds of the Dominion within a moderate term of years. A section of the problem that ought to receive immediate attention relates to the safeguarding ot the milk supply within the Dominion, ft is estimated that the tuberculin-testing of all herds supplying milk for local consumption would cost, in the vicinity of £.100,000 for the first year and £25,000 to £30,000 a year thereafter. Particularly .in view of milk in its natural stale being much more likely to carry tubercular infection than the same milk manufactured, the complete safeguarding of this section of the dairy supply evidently ought to be put in hand without delav.

Thanks in great part, to the commendable <'iifer|>rise ol: its Sanitary Inspector (Air T. A. llussell), Masterton has an honourable pioneering record in this mat ter. For the last four years all the milk consumed in the borough has been supplied from tuberculin-tested herds, under a voluntary but effective arrangement entered into with the supplying farmers. This lead most certainly should be followed at once throughout, the Dominion.

As has been suggested, more deliberate action may be justified where the total problem of the tuberculin-testing of our dairy herds is concerned. The danger of infection through manufactured milk products is slated to be slight or nonexistent, but it remains very necessary on a number of grounds that the complete eradication of tuberculosis in dairy herds should be effected as expeditiously as is reasonably possible. One problem arises from the fact that even dairy cows infected, only in'a minor degree with tuberculosis react to tin 1 lest at present relied upon. An animal may be in process of throwing °ff the disease and there may be little danger of its transmitting infection to human beings; yet if, will react to the test, and in existing conditions will be marked for slaughter. The whole question of costs also needs examination and in view of the extent to which the incidence of tuberculosis in herds varies, the Minister’s suggestion that a pooling arrangement should be considered by farmers seems to be well worth going into.

Willi important details still calling’ for study and examination, Hie Minister evidently is on right lines in considering the establishment ol‘ two experimental areas where the full cost of eradicating t nbercnlosis and Hie probable effect on the economic position of the industry might be studied. With Hie whole of the herds supplying Mastertoil with milk already under t nbercnlin test, and a considerable amount of the same testing bein'’’ carried out in other parts ol the district, the Wairarapa should commend itself readily as one of the experimental areas.