A BACKGROUND TO THE NEWS

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 129, 24 February 1939, Page 7

A BACKGROUND TO THE NEWS

Lord Grey On War In bis speech in the House of Commons Mr. Neville Chamberlain cited a passage from Lord Grey on the way tn which mutual fear begets mistrust and evil imaginings. "More than one true thing may be said about, the causes of the war,” said Lord Grey in his "Twenty-five Years, “but the statement that comprises most truth is that militarism and the armaments inseparable from it made war inevitable. Armaments were intended to produce a sense of security in each nation—that was the justification put forward in defence of them. What they really did was to produce fear in everybody. Fear causes suspicion and hatred ; it is hardly too much to say that, between nations, it stimulates all that is bad and depresses all that is good. "One nation increases its army and makes strategic, railways toward the frontiers of neighbouring countries. The second nation makes counter-stra-tegic railways and increases its army in reply. The first nation says that is very unreasonable, because its own military preparations were only precautions; the second nation says that its preparations also were only precautions, and points out with some cogency that the first nation began the competition ; and so it goes on, till the whole Continent is an armed camp covered by strategic railways. “After 1870 Germany had no reason to be afraid, but she fortified herself with armaments and the Triple Alliance in order that she might never have reason to be afraid in future. France naturally was afraid after 1870 and she made her military preparations and the Dual Alliance (with Russia). "Britain, with a very small army and a very large Empire, became first uncomfortable and then (particularly when Germany began a big-fleet programme) afraid of isolation. She made the Anglo-Japanese Alliance, made up her quarrels with France and Russia, and entered into the Entente. “Finally Germany became afraid that she would presently be afraid and struck the blow while she believed her power to be Still invincible. ...” Shanghai The Japanese Premier, Baron Hiranuma, , referring .to recent assassinations, said that unless the terrorist situation in Shanghai was remedied the Government would consider means 1 of maintaining order. Shanghai, a seaport of China, in the province of Kiangsu, stands 12 miles from the Yangtse estuary on the tidal Hwangpu. It lies on the edge of a low, flat and intensively cultivated area traversed by watercourses. The native quarter, made a city in 1360, with narrow, dirty streets, is surrounded by walls 31 miles in circuit., with six gates. The European quarter, commercial Shanghai. lies north of the native city and occupies more than nine square miles. The French Concession, adjoining the native city, dates from 1847, and the British Concession, north of it, was ceded in 1843 by the Treaty of Nanking. The American quarter is within the British municipality. The harbour extends along the river for six miles. All the wharves are privately owned, and vessels drawing. 24 feet can pass througih the harbour at any states of the tide. As many as 145 merchant vessels and 22 warships can be accommodated in the harbour at once. The port, in normal times, does about two-fifths of the foreign trade of China, is visited annually by more than 20,000 vessels, and has a total trade approaching a value of £100,000,000. There is railway communication (now interrupted by the Japanese) with Hangchow. Nanking and Peking. The population exceeds 1,000.000. Though political geography divides •Shanghai into three parts—a Chinese city, a French Concession, and an International Settlement, the three are inextricably mixed up together. The International Settlement is made up principally of the commercial and shipping quarters: the French Concession is the residential quarter. Balkan Entente General Metaxas. Premier of Greece, at the opening of the Permanent Council of the Balkan Entente, said that a new agreement was unnecessary and would not be negotiated. The Entente would continue to serve the cause of peace. The Balkan Entente comprises Turkey. Greece, Yugoslavia. Rumania, and Bulgaria, the last-named country being a 1.-Hc-couier to the fold. The original signatories entered into the Entente in I'cliritary. 1934. Bulgaria joining in August. 1938, The Entente was designed to inaugurate a new era in the Balkans. The pact asserts in its preamble the desire of the parties to "contribute to the consolidation of peace in the Balkans” in the spirit of the Briattd-Kellogg Pact. The agreement itself has three clauses or articles:— >

Article 1 : Greece, Rumania. Turkey, Yugoslavia and Bulgaria guarantee milt tidily the security of all their Balkan frontiers.

Article 2: They undertake to consult with each other on the measures to be taken in the face of eventualities susceptible of affecting their interests as they are defined by lite present agreement. They undertake not to embark on any political action directed against any other Balkan State non-signatory to the present agreement without previous mutual discussion, nor to assume any political obligation toward any other Balkan State without the consent of the other high contracting parties.

Article 3: The present agreement will . . he open to all the Balkan countries, whose admission will be the object of favourable examination by the high contracting parties. . . Gene Mako

The United States tennis player, (lone Mako. has announced that he will not pair with anyone but .Tack Tidball for the Davis Clip doubles. He also intimated that he considers himself a certainty for the singles assignment.

fiene Mako’s chief claim to fame is that lie was for a number of seasons the doubles partner of Donald Budge, and together thov were known as one of the world's finest doubles combinations. He was not considered nearly as good a singles player as a doubles player, though last season he caused a surprise by reaching the final of the United . States championship singles. There is little doubt that his. singles play has shown a notable advance on past seasons. He is 22 years of age, and has been in big tournament tennis since IbTJ. He teamed with Budge from I!).'f4 till the close of last season. A Californian by birth. Mako exudes •onddence when on the court, and piays a tricky type of game rather than a straightforward one.