SIGNS OF CHANGE

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 48, 27 February 1939, Page 8

SIGNS OF CHANGE

Certain external manifestations of movements- under the surface of affair^-in J^urope,seem.to indicate that popular feeling ih different countries is far from static. /In Poland, for instance, it is reported today from Warsaw that two thousand ulniver-' sity students organised the "biggest anti-German demonstration for years as a protest against the cultivation of German nationalism in Danzig." Then "students all over the country renewed the demonstrations on Saturday, denouncing the recent antiPolish scenes in Danzig." When this is read in conjunction with the statement of the Government spokesman at Warsaw on the effect of the visit of Count Ciano, the Italian Foreign Minister, to Poland, the growing spirit of independence in Poland becomes evident. The statement read: t

Poland is not aiming at closer friendship with' the Rome-Berlin axis, but only,with Italy. Poland is remaining aloof from any axis, but wishes to maintain good relations with the individuals linked with either axis, as Poland would otherwise lose a valuable position as holder of the balance of power.

Another event of importance as showing the trend of feeling is the action taken ]by the Hungarian Government to dissolve the National Socialist (Nazi) Party in Hungary. The steps taken include numerous arrests, the raiding of offices and homes of members of the party, and the consignment of forty-seven Nazi leaders to a concentration camp. So far no protest has been recorded from Germany, , yet when similar action was taken some years ago by the former Austrian Government'against Austrian Nazis, there was trouble almost immediately, followed eventually by the occupation of Austria, its! inclusion in the Reich, and the1 triumph of the Nazis. As Hungary is on the line of Germany's traditional movement to the south-east, this refusal on Hungary's part to permit the Nazification of the country may fairly be regarded as evidence of a growing independence similar to that of Poland. What are the reasons at the back of it? One reason may be that the recent firm stand of the Western democracies, Britain and France, has helped to restore selfconfidence among the smaller Powers of Central and Eastern Europe. Another may be the feeling that, after all, Germany may not be the irresistible force she appeared at the time of the Munich Pact. Ob"viously the financial situation of Germany cannot be satisfactory when a "drastic curtailment of concessions" involving an "increase of 12 £ per cent, in the income tax" of unmarried persons and of childless married couples is reported from Berlin. And the tone of Herr Hitler himself, in his latest speech to the Nazi Old Guard, is defensive rather than offensive. "They will not shake us up with threats," he said. "Should they, however, lead their peoples to the madness of fight, we will certainly not surrender." This is very different from the language of Berchtesgaden and Godesburg in September last.