WORLD NEWS IN STORY AND PICTURE

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 99, 29 April 1939, Page 3 (Supplement)

WORLD NEWS IN STORY AND PICTURE

GERMANY AND ITALY. No. 111.

In the first two parts of this article I dealt with Germany and Italy in Europe, and showed how their interests clashed there. Their differences do not end at that. Herr Hitler ha« as much a& told Signor Mussolini, '"Your destiny (and that mean#, of course, the destiny of Italy) lies in Africa." Hitler appears determined to dominate the Continent of Europe (and that term exempts Great Britain), and it looks a« though he K going to succeed—he has achieved all that he has wanted so far. It is not likely that he will allow the rivalry of a nation which only defeated defenceless Ethiopians and Albanians through sheer force of overwhelming numbers of men, aeroplanes and guns. However, when Hitler inferred that Italy's destiny was in Africa, he probably spoke with his tongue in his cheek. Hitler wants the German colonies back. He also looks with longing on the Portuguese and Belgian colonies in Africa, as well as French And Spanish .Morocco. What would

By ARPAD SZIGETVARY.

l>e left for Italy to even hope for? J.jry[>t, '11111 !<s and Liberia. Liberia, being a poor, little negro 10jiiiI>]i<- might \>e about the Italians' weight, but the Germans have their e.ves on that territory. Before the Great War Germany had the greatest share of Liberia's trade, and is badly in need of her products. She is not likely to allow Italy to eat Liberia. Because ot the Suez Canal Germany would not like to see Italv in posswsion of Kgypt. There renin inn Tunisia, i the only jwrt of Africa which I think Germany would allow Jtaly to seize— and to attempt to seize it Italy would have to fight France, not Kthiopa and Albania. So, taking things as they are at the moment, Italy's chances of "a destiny in Africa" look very far from bright. Mussolini has missed badly. He now play* second liddle to Hitler, and must practically do what he is told. It would look as though his dreann | of empire have gone where so many i dreamt! have gone—into oblivion. i

World Events Explained.

Just recently a similar viewpoint was expressed by "l'ertina*," a French writer on world affairs. He stated: " — not to mention Rome, which is dropping more into the position of junior associate deprived of any will of its own." ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Wiiilc on the subject of colonies I would like to repeat what I aaid <$oine two years ago or more in tbite column*. I feel now, as I did then, that a great deal of trouble in Europe and the world would have been avoided if Germany luut been given Itack at least part of h-jr colonies— I that is the Cameroons and Togoland, with the addition of Liberia and the Njmniwh African colonies. I

SOUTH CHINA SEA ISLANDS. The Japanese seizure of several islands in the South China Sea would, »ome years ago, have brought about a war,

Spratly Island is raatfy the only one in which Britain is inttrtiUdl She had a shadowy claim over it. However, whan France, in 1038, laid claim to that ialand, aa wall aa Amboina Oay, It u-Abu, Loalta and Thi-tu ialanda, together with tba Deux Ilea group, alia aaid nothing. All the inland* really belonged to China, 'but Ghina'a right* never aeeui to count with Europe, America and Japan. The Japanese claim that France had no right to tlia islanda beoauaa aha never actually occupied them. Lonely islands, seldom viaited, the Japanese, since 1833, landed parties of occupation. She based bar claim#, therefore, on precedents established by the United States of America in tha Pacific. On one or two of the ialand* there were Chineae inhabitants—but once again China'a claima wera ignored.

There art fair-died deposit* of gu*no among the ltlaiidt, an article which Japan iltadly needs. However, the chief value of the islands to her is for air and submarine Imsm directed againat Britain. America, France and the Netherlands.