Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1938-05-19

an indication that the leaders of Euro
pean democracy are willing to enter
into compromise with the dictators.
Neither England nor France has
warned Germany very sternly against
any attempt on Czecho-Slovakia, and
the impression prevails that if such
attempt were made, London and Paris
would not raise finger-except in
a gesture of gentle and vague warn
ings, for the sake of formality.
MussOlini Defiant.
A few days ago Mussolini went to
Genoa to address a large crowd of
his subjects (for they are that, rather
than subjects of the king); he was
pretty mad about speech made a
few days before by the United States
secretary of war, Harry Woodring,
who had intimated that dictator
states may go so far in their ar
rogance that even normally peaceful
democratic nations might lose their
patience and do something about it.
Mussolini didn't like that, at all.
Nor did he like the repeated American
assurance that the United States gov
eminent is unwilling to recognize
Ethiopia as Italian territory. But the
burden of his speech was that he
was such a tremendously ardent
friend of peace; only-and that was
the important thing about tit must
be peace based heavily on gigantic
There was nothing novel in that
statement-it was merely a vertical
ton of similar thoughts agitating the
minds of those who rule other coun-
tries and who appear to believe that
by preparing for war they can main
tain peace. History long ago gave a
verdict that completely disproves this
theory, for it has shown that nations
arm for one purpose only-and that
is not peace, their assurances to the
contrary Notwithstanding.
New Cabinets.
During the week there were polit-
ical upheavals in two European coun-
tries: In Hungary, Kolomon Daranyi's
cabinet resigned rather than yielding
to demands presented by the National
Socialists of the country, and it was
succeeded by a government headed
by Bella Imredi who poses as a foe
of Nazism but who, nevertheless, i'm
mediately paid his compliments to
the fascism of Italy and Germany as
''the triumphant political system of
our day."
A Belgian cabinet crisis was pre-
cipitated by disagreement within the
government of Paul Emile Janson;
the ministers were unable to agree on
questions of tax reform and, in
quit their jobs. Another
cabinet was then formed, headed by
the dynamic Socialist, Paul H. Spaak,
who appointed as his colleagues rep
of several parties.
Diplomatic Rupture.
Some time ago the CardenaS gov
eminent notified the American and
British owners of oil wells in Mex
leo that the state was preparing to
them. A great howl went
up, but there seemed to be nothing
that London and Washington could do
about it. From the British govern
ment came note after note protesting
the action, and finally one that point
eddy reminded Mexico that an INSTALL
ment on its debt payments to London
was overdue. This was too much for
President CardenaS; he dispatched
note to the British government sar-
castically referring to the fact that
it had failed to meet its own obliga-
tons to the United States and there
fore spoke to Mexico with ill grace;
at the same time he notified his min
lister in London to return home,
the British government
sent for it's minister in Mexico City.
A diplomatic breach thus had become
an accomplished fact, and it causes
some headaches in Washington, for
situation may conceivably arise where
it will be necessary for the American
government to apply its Monroe doc
trine, especially because public opin-
ion in England seems to be quite
about the matter.
Pope Recognizes.
Spain's civil war has been featured
by new rebel bombardments of BARGE
Iona and Valencia, but they have not
changed the general situation; fighting
proceeds along the Mediterranean
coast, with changing luck for loyal
lists and rebels. General Franco may
feel that his position has been
by the fact that early
this week Pope Plus recognized him
as the rightful head of the Spanish
government; not long ago the papal
court was reported to have expressed