Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1939-02-02
INTERNATIONAL
NEWS REVIEW
Continued from Page u

NA "AAe'', eiiSii, aOOuI TIC lOIui :
No one knows. The only thing that
can be surmised is that Franco is so
deeply indebted to Italy that Musso-
lini will be the country's actual ruler
although he will not officially be the
head of the Spanish government. But
Franco will most certainly not do
anything displeasing to his fascist
chief at Rome. That much is sure.
Italian Demands.
AS a direct result of the Barcelona
victory and those which doubtlessly
will succeed it, Mussolini, publicly
claiming that sits an Italian vic
tory" is expected to press his de-
mands on France for the ceding of
Tunis in North Africa. Up to now
Premier Edouard Daladier has de-
clared, and reiterated, that there will
be no surrender of any French terri
tory to Italy or any other power.
To what extent he is able to count
on actual British backing he does not
definitely know, but, anyhow, he
maintains stoutly that if Mussolini
wants Tunis, he will have to fight for
it. And the world does not know
how far Great Britain may have COM
mitted itself when a few months ago
it signed treaty of friendship with
France; there is a good deal of talk
about secret clauses which, at time
of emergency, may amount to mill
tary alliance. But that is only guess
work. The possibility is there, how
ever.
Ministerial Speeches.
The days following the fall of
Barcelona were featured by pro-
nouncements made by the very same
men who negotiated the Czecho-
slovakian deal four months ago. Mus
solini spoke plainly when he took
credit for the Barcelona victory, and
insisted that it might be dangerous
for any nation to resist Italy's further
demands.
Then it was that Daladier found
it necessary to hammer into the con-
seriousness of the French people and
the rest of the world that France
would not yield-would not yield
under any circumstances.
And in London various members
of the British cabinet, including
Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain,
expressed the hope that armed con-
flict might be averted, but added that
if it could not be, England was ready
for anything.
Finally followed the Hitler effu-
sion.
One striking fact in connection
with the development of the inter-
national situation during the last few
months is this that four men seem
to hold the fate of Europe in the hol-
low of their hands. Yes, they report
to parliaments, but that is merely a
perfunctory procedure. They are the
men who decide-these four. They
apparently believe in the principle of
acting first and then do their talk
ing afterward, and in this respect it
is rather remarkable how closely the
governments of Great Britain and
France resemble those of Germany
and Italy. For the chosen represen-
tatives of the peoples appear to have
as little to say in the democratic
as in the dictator ridden countries.
There is in all of them a semblance
of parliamentary government, but
when the great decisions are to be
made, the great issues to be met, the
Big Four of Europe say the word
and do the deed.
Earthquake in Chile.
From the potential devastations
prepared by man, the worlds atten-
ton last week was attracted to a
catastrophe produced by angry Ma
ture when most severe earthquake
laid waste immense regions of south
ern Chile; cities like Conception,
Chillan and many others were COM
pletely obliterated, and how many
smaller towns and villages were swal-
lowed up by the undulating ground
is not definitely known. Estimates
as to the loss of human lives vary
all the way from $4,000 to $4,000,
and most likely the true number will
never be known. It rarely is when
such cataclysms take place.
American and European nations
rushed aid to the stricken Chileans,
seemingly forgetting for moment
their own problems and strife, and
once more the beatings of the heart
of the world were heard.