“WAR OF NERVES”

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 August 1939, Page 7

“WAR OF NERVES”

POLITICAL TEMPO INCREASED MUCH DIPLOMATIC ACTIVITY [BRITISH OFFICIAL WIRELESS.] RUGBY, August . 19. An increase in political tempo appears in the reports from European capitals reproduced in to-day’s newspapers. The outstanding item in the tale of diplomatic activity, which covers all rhe main centres, including (he Vatican, was the conversations of the Hungarian Foreign Minister (Count Czaky) in Rome yesterday, after his recent talk, while at Salzburg, with the German Foreign Minister (Herr von Ribbentrop). The announcement of the new mili-

tary arrangement between Germany and Slovakia takes the leading place among the reports, and rumours of

military preparations by the Reich. The Polish and German minorities, on their respective sides of the frontier, contribute to the series of “incidents” of recent days, which extend from Danzig to the Hungarian-Roumanian frontier.

Prominence is given in the Press to the violent attacks on Poland appearing in the German newspapers as part of a. campaign, including stories of atrocities against the German minority and assertions of impotence on the part of the Polish authorities, which is said to bear a close resemblance to that conducted last summer against Czechoslovakia. Specious representation of Polish provocation is obtained by citations from unimportant. Polish newspapers of speeches of obscure politicians and manifestoes of extremist organisations, expressing Chauvinistic views. It is believed that one object of this misrepresentation, in addit’on to inflaming German opinion at home, is to create anxiety in Britain about the British guarantee by suggesting that Poland is likely to misuse the promise of Britain and France to come to her aid to forward her aggressive designs.

POLISH RESTRAINT This rather obvious manoeuvre has no chance of success here, because, even if the British public is not as reassured as is Whitehall by the continued evidence of the restraint of the Polish Government —of which the recent speech of Marshal Smigly-Rydz was a notable example—and of responsible Polish opinion, their common sense tells them that, in the words of one British newspaper commentator this week, “the country which knows her own soil will be the battlefield if war comes will' not wage war while any alternative is open.”. In connection with the visit to London of Dr. Kulski, legal adviser to. the Polish Foreign Office with the Polish Ambassador. (Count Raczynski) it is understood that satisfactory progress is being made with the drafting of a treaty formally embodying the British-Polish guarantees. • The same, incidentally, applies to the treaty with Turkey. No urgency attaches to the signature of the treaty between

the two governments, since the. essential guarantee was so clearly expressed in the declaration made by the .- rime Minister.

From ihe comment of diplomatic correspondents of the daily newspapers and the expressions of editorial opinion 'ii the weekly journals, it is imposdiile to get a composite picture of the U‘w of the European situation taken in well-informed but. unofficial quarters hero. It is a commonplace of discussion that a “war of nerves” is in progress, and the technique, it is often said., is now>so well understood that the weapon is thought to have lost most of its effectiveness.

Nevertheless, there is frequent.praise for the composure of the Poles under the stress of this campaign, and of the self-control exercised by the Polish authorities. Among responsible writers there is an obvious effort not to ba drawn into playing the opponents’ game by taking every measure of menace reported from Central Europe-at its face value, because as the weekly “Time and Tide” said, “It is Herr Hitler’s aim that the guessing game should now become a. national pastime.”

BRITAIN’S QUIET CONFIDENCE So far as the general British public is concerned, the picture reflects a mood of quiet confidence, based on the consciousness of having recovered the advantage in strength. At the same time, what clearly emerges ns a serious preoccupation among unofficial observers is the feeling that those who to-day in Europe use the “war of nerves” as an instrument of policy are in constant danger of over-step-ping the limits of their technique and finding themselves involved in something more grim and more decisive. Among the aspects of apparent deterioration of the European situation reported over the last few days which attract serious attention are those indicating a renewal of the tendency to invoke deceptive generalities , like “prestige” and “national honour.” The concern which this tendency arouses may be attributed to the thought, expressed or unexpressed, that those who use such phrases run the risk, through neglect of the realities of the situation, of leaving themselves with no escape from the path which leads to destruction—destruction in which, unfortunately, all may be involved to a greater or less extent. British commentators waste little time upon the German and Italian misrepresentations of the “peace front,” which have become increasingly extravagant and violent. It is not thought, that the suggestion that these Powers are bent upon aggression is likely to impress any but the most credulous victims of the systems of news suppression and propaganda.. Again, the contention that Britain is working to rivet some rigid so-called Versailles system upon Europe will not carry conviction with anyone who has been allowed to read or hear the statements of British policy in the speeches of the Prime Minister and the Foreign secretary, which have never failed to express willingness to submit all questions to peaceful discussion, nor to emphasise the constructive aspects of peace. It is pointed out that there is in fact nothing right about the British policy except its opposition—which is fixed and immovable —to methods which challenge not only the hope of a better international order, but the very existence of independent sovereign States, which is the basis of the historic European order. I

ANGLO-FRENCH RESOLUTION. RUGBY. August. 20. The Sunday newspapers reveal common awareness that, the so-called “war of nerves” in Europe is now entering upon its decisive and most-dangerous phase, and that the risks that the final phase may prove to be the prelude to a major conflagration are so serious that they must be openly but steadfastly faced. They are almost equally unanimous in the view that the hope for peace to-day. resides in proclaiming for the truth. They obviously believe it to be the unaltering resolution of the British and French people, to take up arms if, upon whatever pretext, the Axis Powers again have- recourse to methods of force or intimidation.

BRITISH MINISTERS RUGBY, August 20. Lord Halifax, after preparing the report. he will make to his Cabinet colleagues on Tuesday. left for Yorkshire by train last night, and will return to London early to-morrow morning. Mr. Chamberlain is expected in London early to-morrow morning,' and Mr. Hore Belisha left Cannes to-day for London.