INTERNATIONAL NOTES

Grey River Argus, 1 December 1938, Page 4

INTERNATIONAL NOTES

THE MERCHANT KINGS. [Contributed by “Left Wing.”J The merchant kings went forth to war I For the profit and power that war-, ring brings; I None of us knew what the strife was for, | But we spilled our blood for the merchant kings. Some of us went to the mouth of hell Singing of freedom and wondrous things, I And some created the shot and shell To kill us off for the merchant kings. - Broken and maimed and sorrowing, We said it must never happen again, That war was a wicked monstrous thing, | And the Church that had blessed it said—Amen! I

A few short years have passed and gone. What of the lofty vow we made, Mutter and flash of the distant gun! Horror and hell of the bombing raid!

Little one, listen and hold your breath; ' Hurry away and hide your head; For the merchant kings and their birds of death Are coming to bomb you in your bed.

Mummy is dead in the blasted street. Dead out there where the fountain sings; Daddy is dragging his tired feet, Fighting wars for the merchant kings.

What can we hope for, you and T "’ None can tell what the end will be. For the pitiless years go by In an endless round of monotony:

Working with head and heart and thews, | Giving our youth to creating things, Men need, but not for men to use; j Just for the profit of merchant kings. I Oh, friends, will we never be frecj again? i Listen! The Voice of a Nation sings The song of the Brotherhood of Men,l And the overthrow of the merchant kings! ■ I -D. McRAE. [Just'at present the merchant kings seem to have signed a truce among, themselves and are in a united front against the small and the weak and! against the People who are steadily beginning to challenge the merchant' kings’ power—Ed., "Workers’ Weekly.”]

CLIVEDEN SET BETRAYS PEACE. - A quiet house party at Cliveden, in the Thames Valley, at the. end of last .March. A select group of guests' invited “to play charades.” It ..sounds quite harmless. But according to’ a 1 new American ’ magazine, “Ken,” this' was a cloak for the "dirtiest deal” in' the whole of England’s “grimy record of secret diplomacy.” J | Who was there? I,ord and Ladyj Astor, of course, as owners of the

Cliveden. Estate;, Mr. Chamberlain and his'wife; Sir Thomas Inskip, Minister for Defence; Sir Alexander Cadogan, advisor to the British Cabinet; Geoffrey Dawson, Editor of the “Times”;. Lord Lothian, Governor of the National Bank of Scotland; Tom Jones, advisor to Stanley Baldwin; the Right Hon. E. A. Fitzroy, speaker of the House of Commons; the Baroness Mary Ravensdale, sister-in-law to Sir Oswald Mosley, leader of the British Fascist movement. The Astor family itself, by the way, controls the London "Observer” as well as the “Times.” It has interests in banking, railroads, insurance, journalism. Six members of the family are in 'Parliament. Lady Astor is an American woman. What happened on March and 27? To understand this, we must go back a little. The Astors, in agreement with Sir Samuel Hoare, Lord Hailsham and others nad decided in 1937 to support Germany in a war against, the Soviet Union. Anthony Eden, seeing the danger of such a policy even from an imperialist point of view, had objected. But Chamberlain sent Halifax to visit Hitler. Eden, we are told, offered to resign (in November). But Chamberlain calmed him down. The time was not yet ripe. What did Halifax say to Hitler? We have never been told. But according to the French Intelligence Service, Halifax pledged England to a hands-off policy on Hitler’s ambitions in Central Europe. In return Hitler was not to raise the question of the return of colonies for six years. At the end of January, 1938, the French Intelligence Service learned that flitler. intended to invade Austria. M. Delbos, the French Foreign Minister, told Anthony Eden excitedly at Geneva. Eden phoned Chamberlain, never, dreaming that Chamberlain had. double-crossed France (and also double-crossed An-| thony Eden!) Chamberlain just said thank you and rang off. .

When Hitler summoned Schuschnigg, Schuschnigg rushed to France and Britain for support. . France said yes. Britain (the Cliveden Set) said no. France could not act without Britain. Australia’s fate was settled. But the invasion was delayed for three weeks. Eden had to] go. On February 19, Hitler bluntlj r demanded that he must go. He went! Austria also went. Halifax then summoned the Czechoslovakian Minister and began to bring pressure to bear on the Czechs. This brings us to the house party at Cliveden on March 26. The Prime Minister and the other guests are playing musical chan’s? But they also find time to make six political decisions which “Ken” describes as a menace to British demoerhey and to democracy everywhere. These decisions were: (1) To inform France that England will not go to her aid if she is attacked as a result of a treaty obligation;’ (2) To introduce conscription in England; (3) To appoint three {Ministers, t° supervise' industrial, defence, conscription and propaganda; (4) To make ; an agre'ement with Italy; (5), To ; discuss problems with Germany, and (6) to ask Hitler not to antagonise British public opinion. The two first of these are the most important. The first means an attempt to break the FrbncoSoviet and Franco-Czech' Pacts. This would quickly unleash world war. The second means an attack on the British Labour movement arid a step to-’ wards Fascism in Britain. The six-j point programme, “Ken”£ remarks, “must inevitably lead England towards the Rome-Berlin "axis and ultimately to Fascism.” There is yet time, however, for the people to save peace, and reverse ...the,, pro-Fascisl

policy of Chamberlain and the Cliveden Set.

British Tories

ADOPT ANTI-SEMITISM. Minority rights! is Hitler’s war-cry as he advances on democratic Czechoslovakia (says the "Workers’ Weekly”). If any sincere and kindly people are deceived by this slogan, they need only glance at the treatment of racial minorities in Fascist countries to-day. The persecution of the Jews above all has now reached a point where jt raises serious problems for the working class in democratic countries. An-ti-semitism is to-day Fascism’s tool to destroy the Labour and democratic movements. GERMANY. There were 525,000 Jews in Germany before 1933, less than 1 per cent, of the total population. The majority were in commerce, industry, the professions and the Civil Service The first stage of the weeding out of the Jews was from 1933'ti1l 1935.' The Jaw of April, 1933 (“for the re-| storation of Civil Services”) marked the expulsion of Jews from State employment, most • professions, universities and cultural pursuits. The boycott was attempted against the Jew’s in commerce. To a large extent iti succeeded in the country. But it fail-j ed in the big towns.

This brings us to the second stage, the introduction of the Nuremberg Laws in 1935. First, the food and cattle trade was “purged” of Jews. Aryan wholesale concerns, members of the Reich Food Trust, would not supply non-members (and Jews could not be members). In this way the egg trade was almost a.Jewish monopoly, was “aryajiised.” Jewish importers had extra difficulties in get-, ting foreign currency. Bank credits, were refused them or cut to a minimum. The authorities closed down Jewish shops for some trivial offence where an “Aryan” would be nominally fined. Jews in many parts were forbidden to trade in markets. The 1 Gestapo “advised” certain Jewish businessmen to sell their business for, which they got a fraction of theivi value. Thus the smaller Jewish capitalist was squeezed out without de-[ crees from above.

Even big Jewish capitalists suffered open expropriation. Simson’s, an oldestablished munitions firm, was taken by the State without compensation. Jews were expelled from the Stock Exchange Jn February, 1937. The Jewishi Bdnks of Bleichroder, Arnold, Berlin Handelsgesellschaft and Warburg' were ‘.‘aryanised” in February, 1938. J Instead of the big department stores being abolished as Hitler had promised , in order to win over the shopkeepers, they were “aryanised,” i.e., taken over by German capitalists. l Difficulties are placed in the path of, the Jews who want to emigrate. Al special “flight tax” usually swallows' up the whole or best part of the mis'-] erable pittance received for the sale of businesses and houses. For April, May, June and July'of this year, the Nazi State gathered Jn' £5,000,000. These measures have been intensified during the last few months. The rebuff to Hitler’s-attempt on Czechoslovakia (May 21st.) was the signal for an organised campaign of Jewbaiting, both in order to keep people’s minds off foreign politics and to effect . the final clean-up of "alien” elements when putting the country on a war footing. The boycott of shops was re-introduped. Those Jewish doc-

tors who had retained their private ( practice, even if only among Jews,! had their licenses cancelled. Even babies*' are not too weak for Hitler’s cowardly attack. By a recent decree new-born Jewish children are ( “stateless,” with no rights as German citizens. And, worst of all, since the] invasion of Austria, hundreds of Jews have been haled off to Dachau, tortured and finally killed. Since the Nazis conquest in March of this year, the Nazis are attempting to achieve in a short period what it took them five years ,to achieve in Germany. On July Ist. all employers in Vienna (including Jewish) were ordered to . dismiss "non-Aryan” employees (90 per cent, of Austria’s Jew's are situated in Vienna). No Jews were allowed to trade in public markets. Jewish doctors are forbidden to practice. The same wholesale expropriation of Jewish businesses is being carried on. The big Jewish banks (Credit Anstalt, Mercur Banks, Wiener Bank Verein) have been “aryanised” and the majority incorporated with the big German banks. Within a few months another 200,000 Jews have become' "untouchables.” . This swallowing up of Jewish capital by “aryan” capital means' a concentration and consolidation of that dominant block of finance capital, centred in heavy industry, which supports' Nazism. With this concentration, of “aryan”. capital further■ attacks are made on the standard of living of the German working people.

POLAND. Here there is an acute problem of 31 million Jews. Jewish artisans are forbidden to pursue their trade until they have obtained an “artisan’s. certificate,” for which purpose they must pass an examination in the Polish] language and culture (recently this has been “modified” to a detailed “theoretical” knowledge of the craft. Since large numbers speak only fid-! dish and know nothing or little aboutl Polish culture, they cannot get, this; certificate. In the sphere of trade (in which the largest section of Poland’s Jews is occupied),, the boycott against the Jews is a powerful weapon both in the country and in the towns. Further, the Polish Government has opened up large numbers of credit banks to give loans on advantageous terms to nonJewish traders only (and also to artisans). New legislation has been introduced "regulating” the tobacco and meat .trades. 80 per cent, of the small Jewish traders (i.e., 7,000 families) have been deprived of their licenses and their livelihood.

ITALY. Itglidn Fascism has “discovered” a Jewish problem, in spite of. its past abhorrence of anti-semitism and racial theories. The reasons why Italy has adopted Hitler’s theories are: (1) Unrest and discontent makes it necessary to seek a new scapegoat, even if; there is only a relative handful of Jews in Italy (44,000). (2) The “protector of Islam” seeks to woo the Arabs in the Near East by Jew-baiting. (3) The policy is one

of accommodation to the senior partner of the Rome-Berlin Axis. Jewish employees in the State, are being dismissed. In the . universities and schpols 20,000 Jewish s.tudents and ( pupils will be excluded. About 400 professors will lose their posts. Jewish businesses are being closed down or “Italianised.” Nearly 10,000 Jews will be compelled to leave the country, in! accordance with a recent decree whereby Jews who have become

Italian citizens since 1919 are deprived of Italian citizenship. From this] brief survey it is clear how acute is this problem of Jewish persecution and emigration. Limited numbers have already emigrated. About 137,000 Jews have left Germany since 1933. 43,000 have gone to Palestine; 10,000 have gone back to Poland to be repatriated

ENGLAND. Aliens from Austria entering Britain during April-June, 1938, totalled 3,365. During that period 3,225 left the country, leaving a balance of 140. 19,625 Germans landed and 17,941 embarked, leaving a balance of 1,684. Stateless aliens, 1,592 landed, 1,365 embarked, leaving 227. In 1937 permits to work were granted to only 2,942 German subjects and 230 Poles bv the Ministry of Labour. In England it is not only the Jew-baiting of the B.U.F. (British Union of Fascists) which constitutes a menace to the Labour and democratic movement. The recent anti-Jewish note in some of the Right-wing newspapers, thel anti-semitic utterances of Tories close to the National Government like Lord Londonderry and Lady Astor, and also those of the National Liberal' Whip, Colonel Kerr, indicate that ele-j ments of the extreme right are realising how useful anti-semitism is as a . tool to divide the workers and blind them to their real enemies.

WHO IS LORD HALIFAX? Frequently in tne news as Britain’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, it is of in- ( terest to read the following brief re- i cord of Lord Halifax’s relationships and activities: “Halifax (born 1881)] British Minister’ of Foreign Affairs J Halifax is a big landowner and is related to the whole landed gentry ofi Britain, thanks to which he has be-] come a prominent figure in the Conservative Party. In 1922-24 he was Minister of Education, afterwards'

Minister of Agriculture, and from 1926 to 1931 Viceroy of India. And it was in this capacity of Viceroy that he won “fame” in the eyes of the Conservatives for his “subtle diplomacy.” He pursued the most reactionary imperialist policy tending towards the further enslavement of India. Supporting himself on the feudal princes, he incited the Moslems and Hindus against each, other, resorted to mass arrests and shooting of revolutionary fighters of India. On his return from India, Halifax again entered the Cabinet, was Minister of Education, and Minister of War from 1932 to 1935. In 1935 he inherited his father’s seat in the House of Lords, continuing to remain a member of the Government in the capacity of Lord Privy Seal. Halifax has all the time greatly influenced Britain’s foreign policy, urging it to take the path of agreement with the aggressors. In 1937 he made a trip to Germany to negotiate with Hitler and since then has steadily been pursuing a policy of rapprochement with the Fascist States, conceding to all their demands and, in this very way, helping to unleash a new world war.

VICTORY FOR CAWNPORE STRIKERS. The settlement of the Cawnpore general strike marks the end of a chapter of glorious working-class struggle in India. The splendid support given by the Congress organisation in Cawnpore and throughout the province, both in providing funds for the strikers and in sending volunteers to picket, was

largelv responsible for enabling wofkers to hold out and win their major demands. The solidarity shown between the local Congressmen and the workers is proof of the Possibilities of a wide national front of afi anti-imperialists to defeat the vested interests who seek to shelter behind the Governor’s special powers. Although not all of the Recommendations of the Enquiry Committee have been accepted, the strikers, by their endurance and disciplined courage have won their major demands, and’ enabled the Congress Ministry, which showed signs at one time of wavering, to stand ■up against the recalcitrance of the employers. The terms of settlement include:— (1) 10 per cent, general increase in wages. (2) The appointment of a Labour Commissioner and Wage-Fixing Board.

(3) The recognition of the Mazdoor Sabha (trade union). • . . . (4) Reinstatement of victimised workers. A WRITER'S VIEWS. "By virtue of the greatest diplomatic triumph since that achieved by Judas Iscariot, Neville Chamberlain has finally succeeded in losing the last world war to Germany and has made reasonably certain of losing the next.

“In some quarters this is called statesmanship and Chamberlain is hailed in London as the hero of the hour. He did succeed in getting home with his shirt and umbrella ...

"If there has been a more craven spectacle in modern times I cannot recall it. If Chamberlain is unable to perceive the criminal folly of his capitulation and its tragic consequences for democracy, he must be utterly, blind. But that hardly seems possible. There is another and more sinister alternative. It is that he does not really believe in democracy. The influence of the Cliveden Set upon the present British Government has long been an open scandal. The adoration of these lily-fingered aristocrats for Hitler and his methods is well known and has been openly expressed. It appears that it was not merely poor Czechoslovakia that was sold down the river, but democracy itself ...” —(Paul Anderson, “Nation,” Oct. 8).

MUNICH PACT “BALANCESHEET.”

Czechoslovakia's “final balancesheet” is published by J the Prague “Ceske Slovo.”

The paper points out 'that the area of the Republic before- the Munich' Agreement was 364,000 square miles, and its population 15,300,000. | To Germany have gone 73,000 square miles and 3,600,000 people; to] Hungary, 3,100 square miles and : 1,000,000 people; to Poland, 2,600 square miles and 230,000 people. NAZI DIPLOMATS' RECALLED. LONDON, October 19. Wholesale flopping of heads” in Germany’s diplomatic service was reported to-day by the “Daily Mirror.” The order is said to come from Hitler, who is exasperated with blunders made by his agents in. the United States and in South America. The embarrassing revelations in the New York spy trial and. the anti-Nazi stand in Brazil and Argentina have infuriated Hitler, it is reported. Among those under fire are Christian August von Hassell, ambassador to Rome, and Franz von Papen, who yesterday was forced to resign.- The ambassa

dors to Washington, Rome and Buenos Aires are being recalled, the “Mirror” reports. Next in line for punitive action are German military attaches abroad and members of the army high command. ATTLEE SOUNDS WARNING. LONDON, October 19. Clement Attlee, Labour leader in Parliament to-day warned against dragooning and ordering people about in the name of national effort. “It is nonsense,” he said, “to think Chamberlain brought, from Munich peace for a generation, for a day or even for five minutes.” He told the National Trades Union Club: “The economic consequences are going to be felt in a very few months. In industry and in the political field, attacks will be made on our liberties."

POLICE CHIEF HELD IN STRIKE SHOOTING. NORRISTOWN, P.A. (U.S.A.), October 25. Police Chief Norman Findley, of Hatboro, was indicted by the November Grand Jury to-day on charges of involuntary manslaughter in the fatal shooting of a union picket. The picket, Raymond Cook, was killed at the gates of the Oscar Nebel Hosiery plant in Hatboro during a company attempt to remove machinery last September 19. The C. 1.0. affiliated American Federation of Hosiery Workers called a one-day work holiday in more than a dozen mills at the time of his death as a protest against the killing. The Grand Jury ignored a charge of murder to-day in returning its indictment. Findley’s bail of 10,000 dollars was continued until his trial on November 7. PhO-FASCIST FLANDIN DISOWNED. PARIS, October 12. . The new Hitler offensive in Alsace has 'had an immediate effect in rallying all democratic elements there for the defence of France. Yesterday there was striking evidence of this as the Executive Committee of the Alsatian region of the Democratic Alliance —the party of pro-Nazi ex-Premier Flandin—unanimously disowned its chief’s treasonable activities.