CZECH CRISIS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21155, 30 September 1938, Page 6

CZECH CRISIS

NON-POLITICIANS AT DOWNING STREET MEN WHO GUIDE BRITISH POLICY (From Our Own. Correspondent) ' LONDON, September 2. Crisis time is the experts’ time—a time when politicians play second fiddle to professional diplomats, civil servants and others for whom the conduct of affairs is a bread-and-butter job. So it has been during the Ministerial discussions on the Czech crisis. Not since the coming and going of lawyers at the time of the Abdication have so many politicians been summoned to Downing Street. The leading expert called into consultation with the Cabinet has, of course, been Sir Nevile Henderson. British Ambassador in Berlin. Next in importance was Sir Robert Vansittart, the Government’s Chief Diplomatic Adviser. Another expert adviser was Sir Orme Sargent, the As-sistant.Under-Secretary at the Foreign Office. He was one of the British delegation which helped to frame the Versailles Treaty, which brought the State of Czecho-slovakia into being and so created the Sudeten German problem. Two more members of the expert team guiding British policy on this problem were Sir Lancelot Oliphant, who is Sir Orme Sargent’s deputy at the Foreign Office, and Sir Horace Wilson. Technically, Sir Horace is Chief Adviser to the Government, and many people have wondered what he has to do with the Czech question. Actually, he is Mr Chamberlain’s confidential adviser on other problems besides industrial ones. He has even been credited with framing the whole foreign policy of the present Government. But he keeps modestly in the background. Baldwin and Lloyd George Draw Pensions Many people were surprised to learn, from figures recently published, that Earl Baldwin and Mr Lloyd George had availed themselves of the pensions for ex-Prime Ministers provided for by the Ministers of the Crown Act passed last year. Under this act, exPremiers were entitled to pensions of £2,000 a year, provided they held no other Ministerial office. Both these recipients of a State pension are wealthy men, but it is generally understood that they accepted the money in order to create a precedent ' for others who might be less fortunately situated. So far they have each drawn £l,OOO. Mr Ramsay MacDonald, who died last November received £717 7s lOd. Women Territorials Within the next few weeks it is expected that Mr Hore-Belisha will launch another nation-wide appeal. This time he will ask women between 18 and 40 to join the Women s Territorial Army. Recruits are wanted to undertake duties as motorists, nurses and cooks so that thousands of young men can be released for work that must remain exclusively masculine. It is thought also that the enlistment of women will stimulate recruiting among men. Realism in Spain The lesson that no side is likely to “win" a modern war, when the strengths of the opposing forces are fairly evenly balanced, is being learnt, though slowly, in Spain. There is evidence that leaders on both sides are beginning to realise that the conflict, inevitably, will end in ruin for tire country, whoever claims the victory. They are looking ahead to that time when they will have to co-operate with ex-enemies in the task of reconstruction. In the words of Senior Indalecio Prieto, former Minister of National Defence; “We shall all have to work together—Monarchists and Republicans, men of the Left and men of the Right. Spain will demand it.” Senor Prieto, who spoke these words at a ' recent conference at Barcelona, would not look to Europe but to South America for help* He estimated that the war in Spain had already cost more than £200,000,000. Germany in the Balkans Colonel Tweed, Mr Lloyd George’s political adviser, has returned from a 7,000 mile tour of the Balkans stronglyimpressed by the effectiveness of the German economic and propagandist penetration in these countries. Apparently the Balkan peoples are not so much pro-German in sympathies as dependant on Germany as a market. Many newspapers are subsidised by Germany, which means that Belgrade and Bucharest are well acquainted with the Nazi point of view but not so well informed about the British. Troubles in Palestine and Jamaica are given full prominence, but little that is favourable to Britain is published. International complications have a way of starting in the Balkans, and it is thought that Britain should make some attempt to counteract this onesided propaganda. In this connection perhaps Mr George Lansbury’s peace campaign tour of the Balkans will have good effect. As regards the economic dependence of these countries on Germany, the Bulgarian Prime Minister indicated the solution to Mr Lansbury when he emphasised his country’s need to expand her markets.

Hitler Likes the Dutch Another Instance of how Germany seeks to gain the support and friendship of other countries is provided by her treatment of the neutral Netherlands. Dutchmen are being encouraged to obtain employment in Germany, and cases have been reported of higher rates of pay and better working conditions being offered by Nazi employers to Dutchmen than to their own people. More than one emigrant from Holland, on getting a job in the Reich, has been surprised and not a little flattered to receive personal enquiries after his comfort, with friendly advice and help, from an official, obviously acting under orders. This favourable treatment has produced serious industrial problems for some of the Dutch towns near the border. In recent months more than 200 families a week have crossed into Germany.

Faked Passports The unfortunate people with whom Germany has no desire to establish (Continued tn Previous Column.)