WORLD NEWS IN STORY AND PICTURE

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 250, 22 October 1938, Page 3 (Supplement)

WORLD NEWS IN STORY AND PICTURE

GERMANY AND POLAND. Last week when dealing with the Polish Corridor, which Germany wished returned to her I mentioned that there was a possible way out without recourse to war. It is purely my own opinion, but I think a feasible one. However, before I get to the point of defining that alternative I must go into part of the past and present. When in 1919 Poland was reformed as an independent country she lacked a seaport and there were many difficulties in the way of providing one for her. As a way out those victor nations who were responsible for redrawing the map of Europe decided to make the German seaport of Danzig (pronounced Dant-zig) in East Prussia into what is known as a free city. It is worthy of note that newly-created so-called free cities and states have not continued for long as such In modern times. For instance, the Orange Free State, the Congo Free State and, more recently, the Irish Free State. Danzig as a "free"' city may alto toon be a thing of the past.

Br ARPAD SZIGETVARY.

The idea was that Danzig ahould be made a free city go that most of Poland's overseas trade should pas* through it without paying duty to Germany. So far so good. Danzig for customs and trade purpose* became virtually a Polish seaport. But the Poles were not satisfied. Ihey wanted a port of their very own. They selected Gdynia (pronounced Gid-dcen-nyah), a tiny isolated fishing village on the Polish Corridor. With French money the Poles started to construct a modern port. The world sat back and laughed. Such a thing as a port ill such an outlandish place was impossible, it was thought. The work went on. It is now the turn of the engineers who built Gdynia to laugh. In a few short year* an unknown fishing village sheltering a few people and a few small craft ha* become one of the world's finest

World Events Explained.

porta, with large Polish passenger liner* selling to §nd fro from New York ud cargo boats all over the place. With tht completion of their own port the Polee set out to kill the trade of Danzig, which etill remained German at heart. Most of Poland's trade was diverted to Gdynia and Danzig, which for had keen one of the principal port* in the Baltic, became a mere shadow of her former self, for ehe depended on the trade of the country behind her, Poland chiefly, for her very existence. In determining to kill, and succeeding in killing, Danzig, the Poles have defeated what claim they had to it. They have shown they do not need it, so on economic ground** have no right now to oppose its return to Germany. However, except as appeasement of national pride the re-posses-sion of Danzig would not be of outstanding value to G«ruianj, cut off as

it ia from Germany by the PolUh Corridor, u ia East Prussia, which is •till Germany. That ia why Gtrmany want» the Polish Corridor returned to her. How can ah* attempt to get it without going to war? My idea ia thia. Adjoining Ba«t Pruaaia ia the port of Memal, which before 1010 wu also German. After that data it waa far a while under the direct control of the League of Nationa. Then Lithuania, following the example of Italy and Poland iu aelsing territory in defiance of the League and the Peace Treatiea walked in and occupied the territory. She remain* there. My auggeation ia that the PulWh Corridor, including Qdynia and DanBig, should be returned to Germany. Memel and acceaa to it ahould ba given to Polaitd to act aa her port. And aomewhere on the Lithuania coaat a new port ahould be constructed for Lithuania, free of coat to her, for at preaent ike haa no other outlet of her own to the aea. At the cost of a few million pounda an artificial port waa constructed at Gydnia. A war would coat untold millions of pound*, let alone livea. Surely the nationa would aooner aubacribe a few million to conatruct a new port for Lithuania,rather than rialc another war, more terrible, more tragic and mora baatiai than the laitr