Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1937-11-18
INTERNATIONAL
NEWS REVIEW
Continued from Page u

against China went on as though there
had never been any Macdonald. 1t
went on mercilessly, and one climax
was reached when the Japanese, after
three months almost incessant bomb
ing, captured Shanghai, China's great
est commercial center, and forced
the defenders to withdraw in the
direction of Marking, the capital of
the country and, it would appear,
the next objective of the furious
Japanese attacks. In the northern
part of China the invaders made cor
responding progress, and the day
seems not distant when Japan will
have subdued practically all the
northwestern provinces of China.
Futile Efforts.
At Brussels in the meantime the
nineteen-p over conference.-the
moned to discuss the Far Eastern
conflict-proceeded in a manner as
futile as it had been from the very
beginning. Twice Japan had been
invited to join the conference.-the
twice she had declined on the some
what far-fetched ground that there
was nothing to discuss since the
Nipponese government was acting
in 'self-defense" (Tokyo versionD;
since the conference was a result
of League of Nations activities,
allegedly hostile to Japan, and since
the imperial Japanese government
most certainly could not admit that
it had violated the Washington nine
power treaty of 1922, guaranteeing
the independence and the integrity
of China, or the more general BRAND
Kellogg treaty againt war.
Early this week efforts were made
at Brussels to crystalline sentiment
into an expression of condemnation
of Japan's attitude, and this was
fiercely fought by Italy. Beyond
such condemnation the conference is
not likely to 60. 1t has made it
pretty clear that it will not employ
armed force against Japan; will not
penalize that nation with economic
sanctions, and-cannot carry out plans
of mediation. A renewed denuncia-
ton of Japan's aggression will mean
as little as did the Leagues castiga-
ton of that country in 1882 and now
again, last September. The Japanese
smile blandly at the strong words,
and then go ahead with their plans
for further subjugation.
Spanish Civil War.
A period of comparative inactivity
has been noted in the Spanish civil
war between the legitimist govern
ment, now at Barcelona, and Gen.
eral Francisco Francois fascist rebels,
but there are indications that hostil-
tiles will become intensified along
the Aragon front quite soon.
Nothing more is now being heard
about plans for withdrawing foreign
volunteers from Flthe belligerent
armies, and nothing is likely to come
as the result of such plans, for Great
Britain and the United States, major
factors in the field of world events,
tacitly seem to have recognized the
rebels. No, not officially, not in so
many words, but in the practical
sense that London as we'll as Wash
ington are opening trade connections
with General Franco British and
American statesmen are desperately
eager to reassure the rest of the
world that, indeed, this does not
amount to recognition, but the ques-
ton remains: If not recognition,
what else may it be? Even though
it be classified as expediency, the
fact remains that the London and
Washington attitudes strengthen the
cause of the rebel general.
Fascist Front.
Altogether, the international fas-
cist front is becoming more and more
of real influence Lately, as it may
be recalled, Mussolini was in Ger