Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit TUESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1939. TRIALS OF NEUTRALS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 47, 5 December 1939, Page 4

Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit TUESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1939. TRIALS OF NEUTRALS.

The invasion of Finland on the most flimsy pretext has added to the difficulties and dangers oj small European neutrals, caught in the maelstrom and desperately swimming to avoid being sucked down in the vortex. Gerrnany, the neighbour they most fear, is hypersensitive of criticism and the Soviet has also developed a tendency to resent any expression of dislike of its policy and methods. Neutrals are compelled to defend their neutrality. Some seek to make their defence strong enough to act as a deterrent against invasion. Here, a dilemma arises. If the defence is all pointed in one direction, the neighbour singled out may protest to high heaven that, sav. Belgium is being unneutral. To nullify this complaint, Holland and Switzerland have been careful to work out defensive schemes on two frontiers, although perfectly aware that the only threat comes from Germany. Thus they are compelled either to double the expenditure they really believe to be necessary or to spend half their vote in the safe direction and weaken the provision against the real menace. On the other hand, the Kremlin storms at Sweden for evincing neighbourly sympathy with the Finns, suggesting that she has the backing of Western Powers. Sweden, of course, is as vitally concerned in the destiny of the Aaland islands as either Finland or Russia, and in addition is interested in the fate of the predominantly Swedish population. She declines to accept the doctrine, founded on force, that she and other neutrals have no rights and standing except as it suits Germany or Russia. Norway also has insisted on applying international law, declining to accept, in the case of the American steamer City of Flint, Nazi rules improvised for the occasion. It is a ticklish business, also, to decide how to treat belligerent propagandists who camp on them in time of war. Denmark has had this problem posed for her by the moneyed invasion of a team af Goebbels trainees. She and other neutrals have experience of the delicate task of controlling these merchants of lies. If suppression is rigid; one belligerent storms: if a free hand is allowed, pained protests pour in from the opposite direction. These recurring incidents and the heavy costs of defence, especially in the several cases where partial or complete mobilisation has been deemed necessary, do not mark the limit of neutral trials. The dislocation of their trade, both by the sinking of their shipping and the natural influence of a serious conflict, affect their industries with resultant hardships on the workers and through them the whole community.