RANDOM NOTES

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 160, 1 April 1939, Page 10

RANDOM NOTES

Sidelights On Current Events

(By

Kickshaws).

The end of the Spanish war has been announced, a’lid thoughtful cynics take this to refer to the war in Spain. * * * If you can catch a kingfish at King’s AVharf, as reported recently, we are wondering if the other wharves will prove consistent. * * * The Centennial Exhibition is going to display a dozen sharks in their natural setting, and a perusal of the history of Miramar at the beginning of this century makes the choice of site near enough to perfect. * * * Maybe the lull that has occurred in annexations and the arrival of peace in Spain is a timely moment for members of the British Empire to take stock of the situation as revealed by the series of preliminary curtainraisers now completed. AV hen Mussolini’s adventure in Abyssinia had blasted its way to a highly satisfactory conclusion, from the Italian point of view, the British Empire was confronted with a huge area of land in Africa under the rule of a country that had been consistently hostile to England. AVe have not yet discovered the full significance of the conquest of Abyssinia. From the point of view of Empire trade routes, it puts a lock on the only outlet from* the Mediterranean. In the event of a war, in which Italy sided against Britain, the possibilities of utilizing Abyssinia as a trouble centre are obvious. This curtain-raiser has certain disadvantages from the Italian point of view, necessitating, as it does, large armies at the end of long sea routes. On the whole, however, the strategical gains to Italy exceed the disadvantages.

The real significance of the Abyssinian conquest was that it proved that the role of the aggressor paid handsomely, despite all manner of artificial deterrents. This fact, once established, encouraged other countries to go ahead with plans that had been already laid. Hitler’s advance to the. Rhine must be considered a mere prelude to other things. It would not have been possible to do much until the Rhine frontier was established. Defensive lines are lacking elsewhere. In the meantime, we have been forced to watch a so-called Spanish Civil AVar run mostly by outside interests. This series of somewhat humiliating events, so far as Britain was concerned, is of little importance in itself. The situation in Spain as it is today is, however, a matter of extreme importance 'to France.

Gibraltar is the key to the Mediterranean, and Franco now holds the key of Gibraltar. In the days before aeroplanes, it did not matter much what happened in Spain, because Gibraltar was virtually impregnable. This, however, is a minor matter, compared'with the threat of a totalitarian Spain at France’s back door. One can well imagine the increased difficulties of the war of 1914-18 if Spain had thrown in her lot with Germany and the Mediterranean had been a closed sea, owing to Italian hostility. These are the problems tliat arise from the declaration of peace in Spain. This preliminary curtain-raiser has ended very much to the advantage of Germany and Italy, and to the very great disadvantage of Britain and France. It can be argued that Spain is hopelessly in debt. Neither Italy nor Germany are in a position to assist. If Spain wants money, she must make terms with Britain or America. Nevertheless, Spain is under a greater debt to Germany and Italy, and this debt has the added stimulus of fear.

The curtain-raisers that Hitler has initiated in Europe have so Ear ended very much to his advantage. He has incorporated large areas into the Belch of German-speaking peoples, but that is of minor importance. His most significant curtain-raiser has been the swallowing of Czechoslovakia in two gulps. Germany has now been presented with an arsenal in full -blast, complete with most of the essential metals, the coal to work them, and complete aeroplane factories in full working order. The results can only affect the British Empire in an indirect manner. They will affect France directly. Naturally there are disadvantages. It cannot be imagined, even by the most enthusiastic Nazi, that Germany is as strongly entrenched as she was in 1913. The naw territories will take years to digest. Some of them are potential danger spots, whereas in 1913 the territories had been “in gear” for many years. Nevertheless, the policy of the Treaty of Versailles to break up Europe into small .States has failed. Europe today consists largely of Germany and the fear of Germany. * *

While all these things have been going on in Europe we folk in New Zealand have been experimenting with all manner of things to improve the security of our lives socially. Yet we have passed through one crisis during which there were some dozen Empire cruisers in the whole of the Pacific. We have been told that in the case of a war in which the Empire is involved we may have tp look after ourselves. Meanwhile we have been forced to take front seats in the Pacific at the spectacle of Japan gobbling up China. All that we have to defend us in the event of war is a base at Singapore equipped with practically everything except a battle licet. As a defence force we have a body of enthusiasts equivalent to 20 shiploads of raiders. Unlike conditions that prevailed in 191-1, it is by no means impossible that a hostile power could capture Wellington, Auckland, Sydney, or any one of these places. It is indeed a contingency that should be provided against.

“AA’as, or was not, Cromwell a brewer before lie became a soldier?” asks “A.P.” “AVhen a man committed ‘harakiri.’ who pulled the sword out, he himself or his best friend? A ’snob.’ to my mind, was a cobbler. AVas there ever a question of it being derived at Cambridge from ‘sine nob,’ ‘nob’ standing for nobility? These matters are very serious, and I would be much obliged if you would give them your early attention.”

[lt has been alleged that Cromwell was a brewer, but his real job was that of gentleman farmer at Huntingdon, then grazier at St. Ives, and he then succeeded to his uncle’s estates at Ely. Brewing was never a wholetime job with him. although, like some New Zealanders, he may have toyed with the pastime. As regards harakiri, the suicide plunged the dagger into his stomach below the waist on the left side, drew it slowly across to the right, and, turning it, gave a slight cut upward. At the same moment, an attendant cut off the individual’s neck. The origin of tlie word snob lias never been discovered. The word was originally applied to a journeyman cobbler. At Cambridge it denotes a townsman as opposed to a gownsman.]