SMALL NEUTRALS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23974, 24 November 1939, Page 8

SMALL NEUTRALS

FINDING THEIR LOT HARD

ALOOFNESS IN MIDST OF WAR

OPPORTUNITY WHEN PEACE

COMES

The way of the neutral is hard and the way of the little neutral is harder Study of opinions voiced in smaller countries, caught between the massing sides of the war of 1939, discloses two significant trends. There is (wrilej J Emlyn Williams in the Christian Science Monitor) the desire to escape unscathed and to hold aloft whatever torch of peace still may remain illuminated. There is the fact that on the moral issue of opposing aggression " thinking knows no neutrality even in neutral countries.

These facts are deduced from slendei evidence. For signicantly little appears in press of neutral countries regarding their attitude towards the war. Most comments confine themselves to a reproduction of official statements of their country's neutrality and then deal with such aspects of the war as affect them individually. Their attitude appears to have been summarised in the words of Danish Foreign Minister Peter am sure it is in the best interests of humanity for small countries, like thos;; of Scandinavia, to remain as far as possible untouched by the war. When peace comes . . . these neutral States will be able ... to help rebuild a new order from the chaos left by the hostilities."

Real Feelings Bared

Simultaneously, however, the neutral press occasionally indicates its rea? feelings towards Germany's attitude as when " Matin " of Antwerp, writing of a letter signed by certain Be'giau writers and advocating a German-Rus-sian peace manoeuvre', declared: "But we cannot deny that the vast majority of Belgians have taken sides in the war which the spirit of aggression of Hitler Germany has imposed upor Europe and in which, while they desire with all their strength to be free of a conflict wherein thev are not directly interested, our compatriots are at heart in accord with the high reasons of international justice and final European pacification of Great Britain and France."

Scandinavia is particularly anxious that Russia should remain out of the European war. Writers believe Soviet pressure upon Northern Europe would be even stronger if Russia became a belligerent. The situation was summarised thus in the Svenska Dahgblad: " For our part we must hope that Russia will not enter the war, for in that case the position of the northern countries lying between the hammer and the anvil would become far more oppressive and precarious than on the former occasion (1914)."

The Spanish press follows the opinion of General Francisco Franco that the conflict should be localised as much as possible. Italy supports Reichfuhrer Hitler's peace manoeuvres and both are taking the stand that Germany should be supported in order to make it a bulwark against Bolshevism. Portugal stands by Britain and at the same time remains neutral, its text being the Government's announcement: "Happily our obligations with Great Britain, which we wish to confirm on this grave occasion, do not compel us to abandon our neutrality. The Government believes that its highest service and the greatest blessing of Providence is its ability to maintain peace for the Portuguese people, at the same time hoping that neither their interests, their dignity, nor their obligations will force them to break it."

Labour Expresses Opinion

The clearest expression of opinion in neutral countries naturally would come from labour organisations. The Netherlands Union of Railwaymen and Tramwaymen declared: "The members of the transport workers' organisations are not standing by as uninterested onlookers: with body and soul they support democracy and with all their power they are opposed to dictatorship ... if Germany should win . . the loss will be irreparable, democracy will be wiped out. the living space for the human race will be so narrowed as to leave hardly anv breathing space."

De Transportarbeider. journal of the Dutch Central Transport Workers' Union, said: "The world has to make a choice between slavish subordination to dictatorship and a fight for maintenance of democratic rights and liberties . . . everything achieved in the wav of greater prosperity, social protection and culture could only be achieved in a society where the freedom of association, the freedom of the nress. and the freedom of assembly existed." Norwegian Locomotive Engineers asserted: "We don't consider it our duty to enter into the causes of the war. There may be many, but there is no doubt that National Socialism, which is responsible for the suppression of the Labour movement, of democracy, and civilisation, is chiefiv to blame." Swiss railway men said: "Of one thing we are sure. The Swiss people will maintain their independence . .

They are a people in arms Drepared and able to defend themselves." The Swedish railwaymen's paper speaks of "the heavy sacrifices which t£e democratic brother peoples are making on our behalf."

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