Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1935-01-31
INTERNATIONAL
NEWS REVIEW
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that she is primarily interested in a
decrease Of ornaments, but as long as
no other powers take steps in the
direction of that goal, Germany con-
siders it vital to her own interests
and existence to increase her army.
Opposition Dwindles.
No one has ever attempted to deny
the logic of the German thesis, but
other powers, notably France. have
looked at the matter more from the
viewpoint of eXpediency than from
that of logic, and as they have shown
no active interest in disarmament
except in some speecheS-it follows
that to avoid jeopardizing their own
position they must begin seriously to
consider the German demands.
French opposition to the German
rearmament plan has always been
fierce; it was notably so during 1894
as long as Prime Minister CASTOR
Doumergue headed the French gov
ernment-as long as Louis Barthou,
killed simultaneously with King Alex
ander of Jugo-Slavia- was the French
foreign minister. These two men
would not think of any compromise
with Germany. They were unflinch-
ing in maintaining that the peace OF
Europe was contingent upon the con-
tinued existence of a practically dis
armed Germany.
Now certain things have happened:
Barthou is dead; Doumergue had to
retire; the Saar district voted over
whelmingly German. Consequently 1t
is felt that the time has come for as
Stunning a decisive attitude toward
Germany. and in this respect Flandin
and Laval are supposed to be more
flexible than were their predecessors.
Conditions.
But, Of course, diplomatic arrange
ments are inherently commercial at
their very core. When you yield. you
expect something in return. State
craft does not assume that anything
is given for nothing. So, if German
rearmament is to be permitted, Ger
many must promise to remain in the
League of Nations and also to become
one of the signers Of a new Euro
pean mutual treaty which has for its
ostensible purpose the preservation Of
peace.
Adhering to whatever agreement
be, as far as present information goes,
Italy and Soviet Russia They, too,
are deeply interested in maintaining
peace-but no alert observer can close
his eye to the fact that they are, at
the very same time, building up
navies and armies Of dimensions that
have not formerly been known in
times of peace.
ASiatic Pupils.
When words of admiration are
spoken about the Japanese the wes-
tern world usually focuses them on
Japanese ability to learn from others;
they have most remarkable adapt
ability.
In diplomacy, too. they have learned
their lesson from Europe and Amer
lea, especially that part of the primer
which specifies that you must say one
thing and do another.
A few days ago Koki Hirota, Japan
csc foreign minister, delivered in the
parliament at ToykO an address which
assured all the world that Japan de-
sires nothing quite as holly as peace
with all nations. Japan just dotes
on peace. There is no higher goal
said Hirota-nothing more exalted,
nothing more elevated than peace,
quite especially Japanese peace with
other nations!
1t sounded just like the recitations
of his European colleagues. Appar-
emily 1t was just as hollow.
Fighting.
For-two days later the controversy
between Japan and China over the
borderline between Chinese Chahar
and Japan-controlled Jehol flared up
and was left for settlement to Japan
csc artillery and air bombers; joint
Japanese and Manchukouan army Of
about 1000 men drove westward into
Chahar through Kuyuan, bombarded
that city and some other strongholds
and forced a garrison of 600 Chinese
soldiers to retire. Latest estimates
say that the expedition cost about
800 Chinese, Japanese and Manchu-
kuouan lives.
In Justification Japan pleaded that
China had promised to withdraw the
600 men from the Chahar-Jehol posi-
tions; the date agreed upon was De
cember 81. 1894. AS China. according
to Japanese sources. made no move to
respect the agreement. Japan had to
move" the soldiers. She did. And
now China and Japan are talking
peace-in fact. it is said that Japan
actually wants to force China into
an alliance, economic and political.
with herself
One may not, in all fairness. blame
the japanese foreign minister: he
probably tried to mean what he said
about peace. But the government of
which he Is a member. apparently
still comprises militaristic majority
against which he would find 1t futile
to bulge.
German HOLIDAY.