Notes on the News “The Drive To The East”

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 25 November 1938, Page 10

Notes on the News “The Drive To The East”

The German road through Czechoslovakia, linking up Breslau with Vienna, is regarded as providing an invaluable opeuiug for a German drive

eastward. , F. Elwyn Jones, in his “Hitlers Drive to the East,” a book that has shown prescience in several respects, says: “The expansionist plans of Nazi Germany in south-eastern Europe are no secret. They have been trumpeted abroad by the Nazi lenders. They were laid down in clear terms in ‘Mem Kampf,’ and Herr Hitler, though tor present reasons of policy he has, outside Germany, recanted his hysterical attacks on France, has never renounced the Nazi drive to the East. Its attainment is the avowed aim of the German Foreign Office. “The ‘Drang nacb Osten is not a new feature of German diplomacy. It was, indeed, the immediate cause of the outbreak of the Great War. Herr Hitler has done no more than to step Into the shoes of Emperor Wilhelm. What is new is the technique that is being applied The Nazi system of penetration into the smaller States is more systematic and more ruthless than the imperialist diplomacy. From Berlin the Nr.zis are now organizing direct intervention in the internal affairs of other countries. ... .... “The basis of Hitler’s political pro gramme is economic penetration skilfully manoeuvred by Dr. Scliacht [now by Dr. Funk] with the object of reducing small States into dependence upon Germany. “The ultimate Nazi aim is to create a German Mlttel Europa, stretching from the Baltic to the Adriatic, and from, the Rhine to the Dniester. The Nazis hope to create a wedge between France and England on the west, and Russia on the East; then, having cut off Russia from the rest of Europe, pour their armies through Czechoslovakia into the Ukraine.” Dr. Alfred Rosenberg, one of Herr Hitler’s right-hand men, writing on the future of German foreign policy, said: “The German awakening must signify national imperialism for the German people, as breathing-space is needed to give the German people a healthy, strong existence. . . . The knowledge that the German people, if they do not want to perish in the truest sense of the word, need land for themselves and their descendants; tlie realistic knowledge that this land can no longer he conquered in Africa, but must he acquired in Europe, and chiefly in the east—this knowledge lays down the organic principles of German foreign policy for centuries to come.” M. Maurice Thorez

M. Maurice Thorez, Secretary. General of the Communist Party in France, has declared that “the men are willing to work all the time required to manufacture arms to checkmate Hitler on the condition that Daladier goes.”

M. Thorez, who is the leader of the Communist Party in the French Chamber of Deputies, in his early days worked In a mine. In build he is sturdy. His oratory is of the soapbox variety, and he is a? powerful debater of the flambuoyant type. He has been a militant communist since the party was reorganized in 1920, and despite hip lack of education. he is his party’s chief theorist as well as its organizer. ITe commands a fairly large following which has increased with France’s discontents. Referendum

The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia, Mr. J. A. Lyons, stated that a referendum, at which the people would be asked to give the Commonwealth much wider powers in many directions was likely to be held next year.

“Referendum” is from the Latin meaning “to 'be carried back or referred.” In politics, the term is applied to the reference of laws passed by the legislative authority, or of original legislative proposals, to the electors for acceptance or rejection. The taking of a referendum may be either compulsory, as, for example, the proposed changes in the constitution of a country, or permissive on the demand of a certain number of citizens.

The system is highly developed in Switzerland, where it is employed in the cantons. In the United States the referendum in various forms is a recognized part of the machinery of government in every State and municipality and is being increasingly employed for purposes of general legislation, nnd to decide questions of local Interest, as well as for constitutional matters.

It is also employed in Australia, a noted instance being the referendum on conscription under the Military Service Act of 1916, which resulted in a final adverse majority of 91.000 votes.

The permissive form of referendum include* the origination of legislation which, if adopted by the direct vote of the electors, must be taken up by the legislature. Prince Paul

Though the visit of Prince Paul of Yugoslavia to London is private, it is reported that exchanges of views on matters of common interest and importance to Britain and Yugoslavia will take place, including that of trade relations.

Prince Paul is regent for Peter, son of Alexander, King- of Yugoslavia, who was murdered at Marseilles. He was a cousin of the murdered king. He was educated at Oxford, nnd his wife, Princess Olga, is the sister of Marina, Duchess of Kent.

“He loves hooks, music, pictures, the life of a country gentleman,” says John Gunther. “He has a pleasant personality” and “he is not ambitious.” Empire Population

“We cannot sec,” says a German paper, “why this huge British Empire can accept only a small number of German Jews— tbl.s empire with it catastrophical shortage of inhabitants.” The British Empire covers about onefourth (13,290,634 square miles) of the world’s habitable land surface. Its population in the aggregate, according to the latest census and official estimates, is more than 486,73,000 —about 15,000,000, more than one-fourth of the inhabitants of the world. The British Empire Ls divided into three parts: the Mother-country, the Self-governing Dominions, and the rest. The rest consist* of the subject peoples, and they are “subject” because, unlike the United Kingdom and the Dominions, they are not self-governing. The immense majority of the inhabitants of the British Empire belong to the subject peoples. Only about 70,000,000. or one-seventh, enjoy responsible government; the remainder do not control their own Governments. Those Governments are responsible to the Parliament which is elected by the inhabitants of the United Kingdom and sits at Westminster. **k/\ID IO t.vi "l was getting so fat l was a I raid to eat.’’ writes Miss E M G., of Wellington But starving did mort- harm than good Not till I tried Naturettes did ■ begin to feel well. To-day I'm fit and slim a? ever” 17 days treatment ? 6 Money Back Guarantee R W Martin Chemist VARICOSE ULCERS can be healed permanently with Varex Method of Treatment Never fails. Send for fretbooklet Hundreds of testimonials re ceived. Varex Ltd., Box 1558 N. Wellington.