LONDON LETTER.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 128, 2 June 1938, Page 22

LONDON LETTER.

HITLER AND SPAIN.

KING WITHDRAWS AUTOGRAPH

FLEECING PARIS VISITORS.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON". May 13. Diplomatic circles in London are buzzing with an extraordinary ptory that Hitler is now giving arms and military advice to the Government side of Spain. It is not that the Fuehrer has suddenly turned "Red" or quarrelled with Franco. He ic merely playing his own game. His change of attitude, according to the story, is due to the signing of the Anglo-Italian pact.

Hitler's recent talks with the Duce in Rome convinced him that this treaty will tend to weaken the Italian link with Germany and draw Italy closer to England instead. He is therefore trying to prevent or delay the Anglo-Italian pact from coming into force. It comes into operation only when Italian troops are withdrawn from Spain. That will not be until Franco has won. So at the last minute, after helping Franco for two years. Hitler i> now trying to delay victory by giving aid to the Government side.

As he can keep the war in progress lie can prevent the MiHsoliniL'h.iniberlaiii ]:aet from coining into force. This is. of course, not the kind of etory for which any proof can be givvn, but it iri fully believed by quite serioiw diplomats in London.

The King's "Bad Writing." Many people will remember having seen reproductions of the Coronation Roll bearing the signature of the King. Until this week the original roll has been on view in the Record Office museum in London. Xow it has been removed, because the King regards his signature on it as a poor specimen of \\\* handwriting.

: > The Coronation Roll would probably have remained on view for years if Record Office officials had not thought it would be a good idea to reproduce the signatures of all six King Georges on a postcard for eale to the public. They accordingly asked the present KingV, permission to add his signature to those of the other five. When His Majesty learnt that the signature to he used was the one on the Coronation Roll he declined to give permission. He also asked that the roll itself should be removed from exhibition.

Unless the King gives the Record Office another specimen of his signature there will be two gaps in the collection of Rpval autographs dating back to Richard 11. The other missing signature is that of Edward VIII. As he was never crooned, there is no Coronation Roll; and the other records of his -brief reign have not yet reached the Record Office.

- . i Spanish War Fortunes. It is not only foreign airmen who liave been earning large sum* by helping one or other side in the Spanish •war. Facts revealed this week showthat shipowners willing to risk their vessels by carrying war material and supplies to the belligerents can make immense profits. Small British tramp stl-anu-rs are being chartered for £1000 a week, and larger vessels for £2000.

Their captains are paid from £2.5 to £50 a week for such risky trips. There is always the danger that these merchant vessels will be mined or bombed, and the owners can collect no insurance. On the other hand the charter *atee are-so high that in six months an owner can earn money to buy a new ship.

A Ventilating Grievance. "Rearmament" is a word which now makes a multitude of excuses. M.P.'s heard it given as a reason this week fortlie Government refusal to do anything about the defective ventilation of the House of Commons. Sir Philip Saseoou. First Commissioner of Works, told them that the new air-conditioning plant for which they have been asking must wait until the anna programme had passed its peak.

It will cost £20.000 to improve the Parliamentary air. The antiquated system now in operation is over 80 years old. Its chief defect is that it pumps air into the chamber through the floor, thus carrying up dust from the carpet and making members' feet cold. Fortunately, for their health, few M.P.'s spend very long actually in the chamber. Parliament enjoys a 4J-day week and long holidays, and even the most zealous members do not sit through ali the debates.

Royal Visit Crooks. With the coming Royal visit to Paris, crooks have found yet another way of fleecing the tourist with more money than sense. Seats to watch the King and Queen drive in procession with President Lebrun are being sold at fantastic prices. Many people, who remembered the great crowds at the Coronation procession last year, have thought it worth while to pay large sums for a good view of Their Majesties in Paris. What they do not know is that the streets and pavements on the processional route are so .wide that there >vill be room for everybody, free of charge. Even window seats will be equal to all demands, for Paris possesses far more balconies than London. Police, on the track of Royal visit profiteers, have discovered, that some of them have sold to British visitors windows and balconies that do not even exist.

Suicide's Insurance. Though the number of people who commit suicide rn order to allow dependants to collect the money from their life insurance policies must be very email, an immense amount of business is affected by the decision which the House of Lords gave this week in the "shot major case." Four years ago Major Row- | landson shot himself in a London taxicab a few moments before his £50.000 life insurance would have expired. The highest Court in the land has now- laid it down,that the insurance company does not have to pay, even though it promised to do so in the policy. This was because it is "contrary to public policy" for a man's estate to receive money from his '•criminal act" in shooting himself.

The reason why the business world has taken sueb anxious interest in this case is "that' life insurance policies are used as security for millions of pounds of bank loans'and overdrafts. Supposing a man who has pledged his policy in this way- commits ciiicide? Can the bank recover the money? Fortunately for tlie stability of the business world the House .of Lords said '"Yc«." It is wrong for a man to kill himself so that his I estate, his creditors or hi* widow may ivollect money. But the same argument does not apply if he has prsvioualy pledged hie golicy for a loan.