The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, The Echo and The sun.

SATURDAY, JULY 3, 1939. WHAT'S THE REAL AIM?

For the pause that lacks assistance, For the wrong that reeds resistance,*. For the future in lhe distance, And the good that toe can do.

" Danzig," -aid lien* Hitler in his speech to the Reichstag on April 'JB, '"is a German city and wishes to belong to Germany,"

and he added that the problem was one which sooner or later had to be solved. The question is how a "solution" will be attempted. What, asked the Polish Foreign Minister, Colonel Beck, in his reply to Herr

Hitler, is Germany's real aim? "Is it the freedom of the German population of Danzig (which is not menaced) or a question of prestige? Or is it a question of barring Poland from the Baltic —from which Poland will not let herself be barred?" Before Herr Hitler spoke to the Reichstag the belief was widely held that he was preparing to solve the problem by the method favoured by him, by an armed coup. Because of that belief, because also of what had gone before, in the sudden annexation by Germany of what remained of Czechoslovakia, Great Britain and France guaranteed the integrity of Poland. So now not only Poland, but Britain and France, are directly concerned in the fate of Danzig. Poland believes that it is vital ttf her national existence that Danzig should not fall completely under German control. If the Polish Government conceives that happenings in or in relation to the Free City threaten to have that consequence, and if it resolves to fight to prevent any change, Britain and France are sworn to fight for the Poles. This pledge by Britain and France has all along seemed easier to give than to honour. What is happening in Danzig now? We do not know for certain, but it is not difficult to guess. The Free City is predominantly German. It can organise its own defence force. Apparently it is doing so, with the help of men and materials from the Reich. It may proceed, if it considers the moment opportune, to declare itself a part of the Reich. Such a declaration would of course affect the interests of Poland, though strong assurances would no doubt be given that Polish interests would be respected. The Poles would regard such a happening as the thin end of the wedge that would sooner or later sever their access to the sea. In such circumstances what would the Poles do? They might send troops into Danzig. That would provide the Germans with an excellent excuse to send troops too. The anomalous and terrible situation might then be seen of the Poles, in defence of their national independence, fighting to prevent German control of a German city, and of the tight thus begun spreading into a European war. It would be international lunacy. But if, in the negotiations which arc apparently still going on, Germany's point of view is clearly seen to be that her right to " living space" must and will be asserted, to the prejudice of the rights of the Poles to " living space," or even of their rights to live as a nation, it is a lunacy to which we may come. There is, however, no conclusive reason to believe yet that any of the Powers, including German}', will deliberately risk a war for Danzig. The Polisli Government is said to be willing to negotiate up to the limit of reasonable concession, and Britain and France should see that it does so. But Colonel Beck's question remains unanswered: What is Germany's real aim?