Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1937-05-20
INTERNATIONAL
NEWS REVIEW
Continued from Page ~

| tSOHtlnucu IfOLu csc -
| AS for the second, Mussolini has
often threatened to leave the League
because it-however futile the ges-
ture condemned his war of
conquest against Ethiopia. 1t is pos
sible that if Italy now becomes treaty
Joined to a fellow-fascist nation,
which exiled itself from the League,
corresponding step by Rome would
be considered logical, and, for that
matter, not at all conducive to the
preservation of European peace.
Spanish Civil War.
At the present moment the Span
ish civil war does not appear to
hold as many dire possibilities of
spreading into European conflagra-
ton as it did a few months back.
But nerves are very much on edge,
as was evidenced the other day when
the British destroyer, Hunter, was
rammed by what is now supposed
to have been floating mine planted
by the fascist rebels of Spain in in
ternational waters; eight men aboard
the Hunter were killed, the boat it
self had to be assisted into near
by port. The British government
made protests to Rebel General Fran
cisco Franco, but, after receiving
calming assurances, is likely to pass
the incident up in spite of the fact
that London has sternly warned the
Spanish rebels against molesting any
bo I,,iO Tooly
Exactly what goes on in Spain it
self is not entirely clear since few
days ago it was rumored that an at
tempt had been made to aSSaSSinate
General Franco. On the other side
of the battle lines, the legitimist gov
eminent at Valencia was harassed by
the resignation of the Caballero min
istry, largely on the ground that the
Communists within the government
groups were averSe to the idea of
granting to Prime Minister Cabal-
lero full dictatorial power enabling
him to pursue the war until its vic
tOriouS ending.
Terrific force is expended by Franco
and his rebel troops in an effort to
capture Bilbao, but the city's de-
tense so far has Withstood all at
tacks, although it is claimed that the
rebels are moving constantly closer
Likewise with the siege of Madrid
1t does not seem to 'get anywhere"
it has been going on for many
months, but the city's defenders to
date have been able to resist 1t
seems that Franco is counting on the
| fall of Bilbao to release for the Ma
drid campaign some $4,000 men. But
as said, so far he is in neither Bill
bao nor Madrid
Unity of North.
Last Saturday as a climax of the
25th anniversary festivities in Den
mark where Christian X had been
king since 1912, came the appear
ance upon castle balcony of the
three Scandinavian kings, standing
side by side. This was a new, rath-
er an additional, way of symbolizing
again to the world at large that, come
what may, the Northern nations stand
united although they have no mill
tary alliances or other formal treaties
of the kind usually in vogue among
the great powers.
This unity has, however, a quite
special significance in view of the
fact that on that very same day
stories came from various sources
in Europe to the effect that Germany
was making strong efforts to fortify
its northern borders; with them was
coupled rumor saying that certain
lease-holders along the Elbe shores
near the city of Hamburg had been
told they could renew no lease, as
the ground involved was likely to
be used for military purposes. Of
course, if it is true that Germany
is planning expanded Notifications in
that sector, there is implied more
or less direct threat against the
North. But in Copenhagen, Oslo and
Stockholm the keyword has always
during the last decades been, neu-
trality. There has been no swerv-
ing from that line. But it is gen.
orally understood even in the alb
sence of formal agreements, that in
case of aggression against one, all
of the three nations, with Finland
probable as a fourth, will stand
shoulder to shoulder.
What designs Germany has on the
Baltic and the North Sea no one
really knows, but reports of increas-
ing military preparedness in those
parts do not tend to allay the secret
fears that haunt all the responsible
statesmen of the Northern countries.
Suspicious.
History and experience have taught
the small nations that they cannot
always depend on their big brothers.
While Scandinavia looks with some
measure of suspicion at Germany,
some of the smaller Central European
countries are not wholly convinced
that Great Britain's gigantic rearm-
ament plans will help peace, and for
that reason there was quite a migra-
ton of Central European diplomats
to London to not only attend the
coronation, but also to find out from