Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1940-07-25
INTERNATIONAL
NEWS REVIEW
Continued from Page u


that there are ample facts con-
firming the impression that Hit
Ter may be facing defeat. 1t is
thought that he himself may be
considering this possibility, and
that that is the real reason why
he has confined his attack to only
some sporadic bOmbings.
But the contortions of dictator'S
mind are unpredictable, and it may
be that Herr Hitler will have started
in on England by the time these lines
are being read. 1t won't do nova
days to forecast anything. For it often
takes less than twenty-four hours to
change the whole course of modern
history.
Burma Case.
Diplomatically, the British empire
has suffered rather humiliating de-
feat during the last few days, for it
has yielded to arrogant japanese de-
mands in regard to the Burma road.
Burma is that large triangle which
juts into the Indian Ocean between
the two Indies, and it now appears
that through the Burmese cities of
Mandalay and Rangoon vast supplies
have been reaching the legitimist
Chinese government at Chungking.
The Burma road was, indeed, the only
line of communication left China, for
Japan had closed all others.
Now from Tokyo to London went
an insistent demand: Great Britain
must close the Burma road to China!
If it refused, Japan would be seriously
displeased!
And to the amaZement of the
world, the British government
yielded to Japan on condition, it
was said, that the Japanese with
in three months would take steps
to stop its war against China.
Japan has given no such pledge.
Instead, it has organized new gov
eminent of a rather pronounced nazi
character, and government which
is more determined than it predeces-
sor to carry on the war against China.
The British empire retreats from
the Burma incident covered with no
glory, and even the friendly govern
ment of the United States felt i'm
PEELED to protest against the British
action as one that would tend to re-
strain free trade between countries.
Absorbed.
Last Sunday the Soviet govern
ment absorbed the three Baltic re-
publics, Estonia, Latvia and Lith-
uania-they once more are part and
parcel of Russia, politically speaking.
On July IA, there had been a pleb-
iscite in the small states, and an over
whelming majority voted for union
with Russia, but, naturally, such vote
was cast under very heavy Russian
pressure.
On July 81, the parliaments result
ing from these plebiscites, unani-
mously voted for consolidation with
the Union of Soviet Republics.
Sweden and Finland, still the only
free countries on the shores of the
Baltic sea, are worried, for they have
no way of telling whether they are
to be left in peace. Even should
promises be offered them, they would
not feel justified in believing them.
American Politics.
The political affairs of the United
States have been watched with un-
usual interest in Europe as result
both of the Pan-American confer
ence at Havana this week, and of the
national convention of the Demo-
cratic party which renominated Pres
ident Roosevelt
In Europe opinions are divided as
to the effect of the Roosevelt re-
nomination and his, not yet impos-
slble, reelection. In Germany and
Italy it is taken for granted that in
due time the American government,
headed by Roosevelt, will discover
a pretext for going to war.
British opinion seems to be that
America in the near future will
lind an opportunity to demon
strate in action its traditional
friendship with the British.
There is nowhere in Europe any
feeling that a reelection of the
president will insure continued
American peace. But then again,
here one may be facing another
case of wishful thinking on the
part of somebody rather than of
facts.
The simple truth is, however, that
the coming campaign will be observed
with increasing alertness by the Eu-
ropeans, and that the governments of
belllgerent nations will follow its
development with much more than
ordinary interest.
1t may not have escaped people
IN the United States that opinion
here is almost as divided as it is in
Europe, and that while many believe
the president will be able to pre-
serve peace, others feel that he will
be unable to do so.
Live not for the applause you get:
popular favor is a shifting wind.