Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1937-03-04
INTERNATIONAL
NEWS REVIEW
nv GEORG STRANDVOLD
What price peace?

Wndt PRICE pedCc.
This is question uppermost in
the minds of great-power diplomats
tese days, especially in view of the
fact that Great Britain has announced
it's tremendous ornaments program
for the next five years, and that Ger
many is said to be spending five bill
lion dollars during the current fiscal
year for military purposes.
To the question there is tenta-
tive answer, for through Adolf Hitler
the German government has let it be
known that it wants its war-lOst over
seas colonies restored. and that it
is very painfully irked by the Franco
Russian alliance which Berlin con-
siGers direct and blunt threat.
When the colonies have come back,
and when the Moscow-Paris pact has
been either broken up or mOdif fed,
then Germany is ready to talk peace,
that is, to join other nations in an
effort to create general security.
But Great Britain has an answer,
too. 1t was given to Joachim Won
Ribbentrop, German ambassador in
London, the other day by Anthony
Eden, British foreign minister; he
said tersely that the question OF re-
storing the German colonies cannot
be taken up until there is an all
around security agreement in which
Germany actively participates.
So we have once more the see-saw
of diplomacy, and while it goes up
and down, the nations arm for the
next test of strength.
Peace Prospects.
No one who is even specifically
familiar with what goes on in Europe
today fears that another great war
is Just around the corner. But, of
course, the greater speed the arming
of the nations acquires, the nearer
moves the dread possibility of war.
There is. however, more to it than
that. To fight, nation needs money.
and. relatively speaking. there is pre-
ciously little available just now.
There is-a case in pCint-Ger-
many; this week once more borrowing
(within her own bOrders) 5 billion
marks. and Germany already has a
debt of-tO put it in easily understand
able American currency terms, H.
500 900 900. On the other hand, Ger
many has a regular army estimated
at $4,000 men-a force which by
drawing on the reserves can be
brought up to 1850, O00-nOt very far
from the size of the Soviet army, and
considerably larger than any strength
France can muster.
In a now almost unObtainable book
American Notes"-Rudyard Kip
ling. to the deep chagrin of Amer
leans, said that the United States
have such a cute little army-Only.
they don't know what to do with it. >"
And that is about the situation with
the present day German army; it is
there, but it cannot be utilized with
out money or without fOodstuffs of
which Germany produces too little for
its own use.
There is this, too. Germany has no
particular reason for going to war
against anyone; no "casus belli' is
apparent anywhere as far as Germany
and other natiOns-are concerned.
But, on the other hand, if the will
to war is present, a cause can easily
be manufactured. Germany, knowing
the combined strength of potential
adversaries, is likely, though, to hest
l. l.
fore starting any explosion. The
greatest apparent danger to world
peace is the ornaments race between
the great powers, but it will not be-
come an actual menace until each
of them has carried out its ornaments
program.
BlOckading Spain.
A couple of weeks ago it was pre-
Sumed that the international block
ade of Spain was to become effectil e
for tie purpose of preventing foreign
vOlun. GERS to reach the shores of that
country to participate in the civil
war. on one side or the other. Some
how, it seems that the blockade until
now has been far more theoretical
than practical. 1t has existed on
paper, not on TIE sea. But assurance
is now given that beginning next Sat
urday at midnight British, French,
Russian, Portuguese, German and
Italian warships will patrol the
waters around Spain, and at the same
time detachments of foreign soldiers
will begin to watch the land-bOrder
lines between Spain and France, be-
tween Spain and Portugal.
There has been no hurry about this
move, for the civil war is now in its