Overseas

Southland Times, Issue 23047, 14 November 1936, Page 22

Overseas

Fewer Unemployed. There are fewer unemployed in Britain than there have been in any year since 1930, and over 11,000,000 people are employed. In the United States too industrial conditions have improved so much that 24 corporations have increased the wages of their employees and granted them bonuses, although employment is still greater than it should be. The great improvement in working conditions is due to a large extent to the nations’ race for security in armaments. This is certainly the case in Britain, and it<is significant that the United States Steel Corporation led the way in the American companies decision to benefit their employees. Rearmament Deplored. The general scramble for military power was deplored by Mr Baldwin, the Prime Minister of Britain, in a speech at the Lord Mayor’s Banquet t the Guildhall, London. What good, he asked, can come of it? Mr Baldwin pointed out that both internal social improvement and international trade were being badly retarded by the Powers’ concentration on rearmament. A few hours before Mr Baldwin spoke in the Guildhall the citizens of London witnessed a Lord Mayor’s Show which had been transformed from the usual display of industry into a grim pageant of modern weapons of war. The echoes of the noise of Britain’s huge army tanks must have sounded strangely in the ears of those who heard the head of the British Government stress the futility of seeking safety in armed strength. Austro-Hungarian Throne. Italy has gone a step farther on her way to power in Central Europe by acting as intermediary between the Monarchist Parties of Austria and Hungary. In both these countries there is strong support for the return of the Habsburg dynasty to the throne of Austria and Hungary, and Italy has increased her influence over both by sponsoring the claims of Archduke Otto. There is a well-founded rumour that the King of Italy has agreed to the engagement of his youngest daughter, Princess Maria, to Otto. It is believed that an early attempt will be made to restore the monarchy in both Austria and Hungary. Against Bolshevism. The U.F.A. Corporation, Germany’s largest film company, has been ordered by the Nazi Minister of Propaganda (Dr. Goebbels) to produce a series of films with the object of denouncing Communism. In this new campaign against Russia Germans will see Bolshevism (“Public Enemy No. 1”) reviled and vanquished. The propaganda, which will be clothed in fiction, will also glorify military heroism. Hitler’s God-Children. Herr Hitler has decided that in future his god-children must be members of families in which there are at least seven living sons. Perhaps the Nazi leader has come to the conclusion that some means must be devised to quell the swelling tide of god-children, of -\yhom there are already no fewer than 12,620. Herr Hitler himself is a bachelor.

The Negro Republic. Attempts by foreign powers to foster unrest in. Liberia have been reported by the Liberian Consul in the United States. Liberia, with an estimated area of 45,000 square miles, and a population estimated at 1,500 000 to 2,000,000, lies on the south-west (Guinea) coast of Africa, between Sierra Leone (British) and the French colony of the Ivory Coast. The population is entirely of the African race; about 100,000 of the dwellers along the coast may be considered civilized. Liberia was founded in 1822, when a settlement was made at Monrovia (the present capital) by negro freedmen from the United States, with the assistance of- American colonization societies. It was declared a free and independent republic on July 26, 1847. Its constitution is modelled on that of the United States. Electors must be of negro blood and owners of land. The Government rests wi‘h a president elected for a term of eight years, a Senate of eight elected for six years, and a House of Representatives of 15, elected for four years. American firms are interested in Liberia—lending of money and leasing land for rubber plantations. In 1930 a commission under the League of Nations, after investigation, made a report on slavery in Liberia that was described as a “shocking indictment” of conditions in that country. Coffee, rubber, oil, nuts, raffia, ivory and ginger are the chief exports. Perry Turns Professional. F. J. Perry, who has become a professional has won the lawn tennis championships of Britain and America on three occasions. No other player in the annals of the game, except W. T. Tilden (U.S.A.) has that record, and Tilden did not win at Wimbledon for three years in succession, playing through each year. Perry undoubtedly is on » of the most outstanding and interesting personalities in the tennis world to-day. Mainly owing to his efforts, England’s long quest of the Davis Cup was rewarded after 21 years, and a still longer siege of the United States championship also succeeded. He is likely to be mainly remembered for his win at Wimbledon in 1934, whereby he became the first Englishmann to take the title since A. W. Gore was successful in 1909. By that victory Perry became the champion of three continents in the brief space of 10 months—a unique record. In 1934 he assisted Britain to retain the Davis Cup and again won the United States championship at Forest Hills. Perry toured Australia and New Zealand in 1934-35 with the British team. He was runner-up in the Australian singles and doubles championships at Sydney and won the New Zealand singles, doubles and combined doubles, titles at. Auckland. Last jear he retained the singles championship at Wimbledon, won the French championship at Paris, and lost the United States singles to W. Allison after a fall which caused him to rest for six months. He won at Wimbledon this year and also regained the United States championship.