Behind the Headlines

Northern Advocate, 18 March 1939, Page 1 (Supplement)

Behind the Headlines

CZECHOSLOVAKIAN POPULATION Four million people inhabit the Czech province of Slovakia, principal feature in this week’s European diplomatic checkerboard. Located in the western Carpathians, this province of 18,000 square miles is mainly mountain- , ous, although the west and east ends 1 encroach on the plains of the MoravaDanube and the TiSa. While other surrounding provinces progressed under Austrian dynasties, Slovakia fell behind and is still to-day in the doldrums of progress. Sixty-nine per cent, of the population is Slovakian, 21.5 per cent. Magyar, 4.7 per centl German and 2.4 per cent. Jewish. The minorities have always presented grave difficulties to the administrators and to-day it is this that is causing so much international unrest.

NEW MACHINERY FOR OLD New locks art to be installed in the Panama Canal, world famous artificial water channel cutting the American continent in two and giving easy access to vessels trading from all parts of the world. Panama city, surrounded by the Canal Zone, is one of the oldest cities in America, and is located at the southern terminus of the canal. Founded in 1519, by Pedro Arias de Avila, Panama City has been the scene of much historic comment. It was here that the gold and silver of South America and the treasures of the Orient were stored in the early days of colonisation. The city became the envy of pirates and buccaneers, who fought many duels in this vicinity. The ancient city was destroyed by Sir Henry Morgan in 1671 and was rebuilt two years later nearer the port. The old city was richly endowed with churches and other fine buildings, the ruins of which are now tourist scenic attractions. Although most of the docks were built about 1913, the demand of modern seagoing vessels has resulted in a new type of lock being considered. Naval armament has also been a big factor in prompting the construction of the new facilities. \

MINORITIES AGAIN

ELEPHANT HUNTERS FOUND BIG CITY

Principal seaport of Natal and third largest city in South Africa, Durban,

puts aside business when sport is in the offing. It has just staged the longest test match in the history of South Africa. There are 150,083 people in the city, these being Europeans, natives, Asiatics and coloured people. They enjoy a sub-tropic climate that is one of the most acceptable in the whole Union. British elephant hunters in 1824 first made camp at Durban, and in 1835 a nucleus of a township was laid out and the town named after Sir Benjamin D’Ruban, Governor of the Cape. Depressions and periods of prosperity have been felt in the city, the principal uplifts being-the'discov-ery of diamonds.and gold and the Zulu and Boer Wars. Practically all overseas trade for Natal goes through Durban, which is also the chief focus of the sugar industry and the whaling industry.

WARRIOR’S CHRISTIANITY A barometer of the status of Christianity in the Far East during the SinoJapanese hostilities would show increasingly fairer weather in China, tendency towards storm in. Japan and Japan’s possessions—with a probability of squalls ahead in the Japan occupied areas of China. The fundamental reasons are not far to seek. Christianity finds itself in step with the position of the Chinese Government and the plight of the Chinese people, while it is quite clearly impossible for it to reconcile itself to Japan’s policy toward China unless by some measure of acceptance of the theory that Japan is fighting forces in China which Christianity ought to oppose, and is seeking the eventual best interests of the Chinese. This latter is decidedly the line of Japanese propaganda, but (a) it is not being pointed towards enlistment of Christian co-operation, and (b) there is no evidence that Christians, either Western or Oriental, are accepting such a view if they have any slightest first-hand! knowledge of the facts. General Chiang’s personal dependence upon Christianity at the time of his captivity at Sian received wide attention. On March 27, 1937, speaking before the Eastern Asia Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Nanking, he said: “I have now been a Christian for nearly 10 years, and during this time I have been a constant reader of the Bible. Never before has this Sacred Book been so interesting to me as during my two weeks’ captivity in Sian . . . From my captors I asked for but one thing, a copy of the Bible, and in my solitude I had ample opportunity for reading and meditation. The greatness and love ,of Christ burst upon me with a new inspiration, increasing, my strength. ;to struggle against evil, to overcorilfe temptation, and to uphold righteousness.” , r f