Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1936-10-22
INTERNATIONAL
NEWS REVIEW
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But, there is another aspect which
also must be taken into consideration,
and that is that Belgium with this
latest Vancouver may have paved the
way for new set of nOn-aggression
treaties. In Brussels the diplomats
talk about such a treaty being signed
with Germany, but that would pre-
suppose a non-aggressiOn treaty be-
tween Germany and France. This
really would adhere to the ideas ex-
pressed by Hitler when the German
troops moved into demilitai lied
Rhineland, for then he insisted that
just that very type of treaty is the
only effective one. Germany would
willingly agree on mutual non-ag-
gression with France on one certain
condition, and that is that France
withdraw from the military alliance
with Russia. The very fact of the
Franco-Russiar alliance is the prin-
cipal reason why Germany remains
pretty cool toward the discussions now
slowly leading toward a conference
on the problem of revising the LOcarnO
treaty. 1t may be recalled that France
maintains that that accord really has
lost all it's significance just because
Germany occupied the Rhineland, and
therefore, insists that it must be re-
written in some way in order to be
enabled to guarantee the security OF
eastern Europe.
Former Agreements.
1t is really no wonder that Belgium
loses faith in treaties-many others
have done the same thing. There is,
as everyone knows, the Versailles
peace treaty which was intended to
not only clinch the downfall of i'm
perial Germany but also to pave the
way for the permanency of peace; as
an integral part of that treaty the
League of Nations covenant was in
corporated, and that, quite especially,
was meant to prevent wars. Yet, what
has happened? Paraguay and Bolivia
have fought; China and Japan have
fought; Italy and Ethiopia have
fought. When these clashes started,
all the powers mentioned were men,
bers of the League, and still, that fact
availed nothing. Also, the Versailles
treaty insisted on general disarma-
ment; the League of Nations covenant
made it it's special business to see
that such disarmament took place.
Instead, we see about us world that
has never in all its existence been as
heavily prepared for war as now.
Then, too, there was that nice lit
tie treaty which nearly five years
ago was concocted by j. Ramsay Mac
Donald of Great Britain and Benito
Mussolini of Italy-a treaty which,
with the subsequent adherence of
France and Germany, was to prevent
the outbreak of war for at least ten
years. No one speaks about it now
only some of the idealists who still
cling to the principle that an agree
there was the Briand-Kellogg treaty
against war which has consistently
been disregarded by nations that
wanted to fight, treaty or no treaty.
One can't really blame Belgium
For treaties seem to have lost all the
Importance that they were meant to
have.
Spanish Civil War.
In the meantime, the civil war be-
tween the democratic-radica govern
ment of Spain and the fascist rebels
goes on, and only the other day Josef
Stain of Russia made it plain in a
speech that this conflict really is of
Importance far beyond the borders of
Spain itself. 1t was, he said, some
thing that vitality affects all of man
kind. In that he is right because of
the potential international C mplica
tions that Turk in the background
Russia has charged that Germany,
Italy and Portugal have violated the
Empower agreement not to intervene
in favor of either Spanish group; Ger
many and Italy have replied by pre-
ferring counter-charges against Rus
STA; then Russia made a demand that
the entire business be taken up for
immediate treatment by a new meet
ing of the Empower neutrality COM
mission only to be rebuffed by its
chairman, Lord Plymouth, who saw
no reason to convene such a meeting
at this time