A BACKGROUND TO THE NEWS

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 266, 6 August 1937, Page 9

A BACKGROUND TO THE NEWS

Archbishop of York The Archbishop of York, the Most Kev. William Temple, opening a world conference on faitli and order at Edinburgh, delivered an outspoken sermon ou the evils of a divided Church. The Archbishop, who was born on October 15, 18S1, is the son of Dr. Frederick Temple, a former Archbishop of Canterbury. He was educated at Rugby, and at Balliol College, Oxford. From 11)04 to 1910 he was Fellow aud lecturer in philosophy at Queen’s College, Oxford. 1 com 1910 to 1921 he was chaplain to the Archbishop of Canterbury. From 1910 to ■1914 be was headmaster of Repton Public School and rector of St. James’s, Piccadilly, London; Cauon of Westminster, 1919-21; Bishop of Manchester, 1921-29; and Archbishop of York in 1929. Cristobal Cristobal, to which place a PanAmerican Airways plane was proceeding from Chile when it came down in the sea in the Canal Zone, is a port of Panama at the Atlantic entrance to the Panama Canal. It is, however, an American town under the American flag. The Panama Canal Zone is a strip of land some live miles wide on either side of the centre line of the Panama Canal, granted to the United States by the treaty of November 18, 1903, with Panama. There is no privately owned land in the zone, the zone being Government property dedicated to the purpose of protecting, operating and maintaining the canal. The zone also includes areas of sea immediately at each end of the canal. Poland The executive of the Polish Monarchist Party has passed a motion inviting the Duke of Kent to accept the Polish throne, which has been vacant since 1795.

The Republie of Poland was proclaimed at Warsaw in November, 1918, and the Treaty of Peace guaranteed the independence of the Republic, which is reconstituted within the limits of the eighteenth century “Polish Commonwealth.” This State extended in the year 1772 over an area of about 286,000 square miles, and included a population of about 13,000,000. The- present area is about 150,000 square miles, with a population of 33,500,000, 70 per cent, being Poles, and 3 per cent, other nationalities. The predominant religion is Roman Catholic. Under the Constitution of 1935 the Legislature (Zgromadzenie Narodowe) consists of a Senate of 96 members and of a Diet (Sejam) of 208 Deputies. Under this constitution the powers of the legislature have been greatly restricted, and the position of the President has become almost that of a Dictator. The Diet is still elected by universal suffrage, men and women having the vote, but candidates can only be nominated by electoral committees composed of representatives of local authorities and of various commercial, industrial, agricultural, professional, and labour organisations. One-third of the Senate is appointed by the President, and the remaining two-thirds are chosen by electoral colleges elected by a restricted franchise. Mining, cotton, metal work, agriculture, sugar, forestry, and stock raising are the principal industries. Present Position

Situated between Germany and Russia, Poland has been described as “holding the key to the destinies of Eastern Europe.” Her active support would be of decisive advantage to either of her great neighbours in the event of war. Poland’s relations ■with Russia are regulated by a non-aggression pact signin 1932 and renewed in 1934 for a further 10 years. Her relations with Germany are based on a 10-year non-ag-gression and amity treaty signed in January, 1934. Though her manner with both these countries is correct, she has not much love for either, and very little trust. She also has an alliance with France, concluded in 1921, and reaffirmed in 1925. French capital helped to reconstruct Poland after the ravages of the Great War. French advice and French equipment helped to build up an efficient Polish Army. Poland’s policy at present consists of playing off Russia, Germany, and France against one another. Poland’s History

The Poles, a people of Slavonic race, gave their name to a country that came into existence as a distinct State about 1000. After a period of adversity, it grew and prospered under several strong-minded kings, until, in the sixteenth century, Poland attained the summit of her greatness.

The collapse began in 1672. A series of risings among factions broke out in the country, and soon the land was invaded, first by the Czar of Russia and secondly by Charles X of Bavaria-5 secondly by Charles X of Sweden. Both wars were waged at the same time. Both, wars ended with the cession of territory. Then, in 1772, the first partition of Poland took place—Prussia, Russia, and Austria all receiving slices of territory. A second partition occurred between Austria and Prussia in 1793 and the third and final in 1795, Poland ceasing to belong to the map of Europe. The Swastika

The gipsies of Rumania, who are joining up with the Nazis, are adopting the swastika as the Romany emblem. The swastika is a curious religious ■symbol or talisman, and is believed to have originated in India or China, and introduced into Europe in the sixth century. In form the swastika is a Greek cross, the arms of which are like elbow-points, all bent at right angles. Sometimes the figure is comprised in a circle, the circumference of which is described through the extremities of the arms.

In the East the swastika was used as a mystic symbol by the Buddhists, and apparently it is still so used by the Buddhists and Jains of India and in China, Japan, and among the Indian tribes of North America. In Europe in the Middle Ages f be swastika often figures in decoration and embroidery. In Germany to-day the National Socialists under Herr Hitler use the swastika as the symbol of their Aryanism and of their consequent anti-Semitism and it is embodied in the German flag. Teruel

Teruel, which the rebels have freed from the loyalists’ “strangle-hold,” is a city of Spain. It stands on the river Guadalaviar. An ancient walled town, with crumbling buildings and narrow, ill-paved streets, it is said to retain still a medieval aspect. due of the things for which it is noted is the magnificent aqueduct that supplies the town with water. The population is about 12,000.