OUR LONDON LETTER

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21279, 24 February 1939, Page 12

OUR LONDON LETTER

What Next in Spain? Island Colony for the Jews (From Our Own Correspondent) LONDON, January 20. A figure-head monarchy under a powerful dictatorship is likely to be set up in Spain if Franco succeeds in completing his conquest of the country. That is the view held by London supporters of the Nationalist cause. Some show of Parliamentary government may I remain in the form of the Cortes, but it is not likely to be elected by universal suffrage. One suggestion is that voting may be by ‘“corporations,” or trade guilds. If Franco wins, it is possible that he may before long be at loggerheads with his ally, Mussolini—if not also with Hitler. From the beginning Franco has declared that he would not allow his allies to establish a foothold in the country. That declaration is reinforced only this week by the Duke of Alba, Franco's London agent, who says that "not an inch of Spanish territory” will be ceded to a foreign Power.” But there is a strong belief that Mussolini wants to stick to the Balearic Isles, while Hitler will ask for a submarine base on the Spanish coast as reward for his help. Mussolini’s excuse, it is said, will be that he must keep an “emergency force” in the Balearics until France yields to his demands in Tunis and Corsica. Shiploads of Gold Underwriters, who long ago refused to accept insurance against war risks, are now worried about another “crisis” risk, which has not necessarily anything to do with war. They are discussing the possibility of limiting the amount of bullion carried in any one vessel. Each swing in the pendulum of international affairs causes gold to be shipped one way or the other across the Atlantic, and every shipment is insured. What troubles the underwriters is that nearly all this gold is carried by a few big, fast liners. The Queen Mary, for instance, carried £9,000,000 worth of bullion to New York on one trip a few months ago. Since the great liner is herself worth £5,000,000 under-writers would have lost £16,000,000 if she had struck an iceberg and sunk in midAtlantic. Such a risk is extremely remote, but underwriters would be happier if these valuable cargoes could be spread over a number of ships. The obstacle is that the speculators who Ship the gold might lose their profit on price rises if they did not send it by the fastest ship available. West Indies Home for Jews? Jewish organisations which are trying to plan overseas settlement schemes for their refugee co-religionists from Germany are now Investigating the possibilities of the Republic of Santo Domingo, or Dominca, West Indies. Dominica, which is on the island of Haiti, is said to be one of the few countries in the world which places no restrictions on immigrants. The Republic’s present population is over 1,090,000, and with an area of 19,300 square miles, there is reported to be ample room for at least 100,000 refugees. Agriculture would be their only means of making a living. The land produces sugar, coffee and tobacco. But because of the low prices of sugar and coffee, experts are doubtful whether immigrants could exist unless migration were under careful control.

Housewives’ Iron Rations People seem uncertain whether to be alarmed or amused at Sir Auckland Geddes’s advice to housewives to store provisions and water against the risk of war. Especially startling is his suggestion that water, “boiled and well corked in bottles,” should be got ready in case an enemy bomb cuts off the domestic supply. Despite a certain amount of ridicule, Sir Auckland’s advice is likely to cause a boom in canned foods. One London store has been quick to stage a special display of foods which keep well. Most kinds of tinned meats, it is said, will keep for four years. Canned potatoes, spinach and other green vegetables last “indefinitely.” Housewives who try to store soft fruits like strawberries and raspberries may. however, find nothing but a mush at the bottom of the bottle when war comes. They are advised to choose peaches and apricots instead.

Germany’s Film Invasion One field in which Germany is making steady progress is the European film market. America, of course, still dominates, but German pictures are now very numerous in the cinemas of Eastern Europe. A recent three-months’ survey showed that cinemas in the European capitals screened 447 German films, as compared with 1637 American. London was the only capital where no German film was seen. Picturegoers in Paris have no political prejudices, for 7 per cent, of the films shown there were German. Even proGerman Rome showed only 8 per cent, of Nazi pictures. In Amsterdam, where political sentiment is predominantly anti-German, the cinemas nevertheless screened 18 per cent, of German films. The biggest proportion of German pictures, 68 per cent, was shown in Riga. French pictures come after American and German in popular favour, and British films a poor fourth.

“Poor Persons” Divorces There is now clear evidence that A. P. Herbert's “easier divorce” Act is being taken advantage of by the people it was mainly designed to help—those who cannot afford to circumvent the law by “arranged” divorces. The “Herbert Act” came into force on January 1, 1938, and during that year over 6000 “pool" persons" in London alone applied for divorce. This is about two-and-a-half times as many as in 1937.

“Poor persons” have to prove that they cannot afford to pay ordinary fees to a solicitor and barrister, and not all of them succeed in doing so. But the number of applications shows the use which is being made of the Act. Applications in provincial towns, when the figures are Issued, will show a much larger proportionate Increase.

Holiday Camps for Lower-paid Workers The holiday-with-pay movement was expected to create an influx of extra visitors to the holiday resorts, but most of the hoteliers and boarding-house keepers who anticipated a record season last year as a result of this rnove-

ment were disappointed. They appeared to derive little benefit from the fact that thousands of men and women were given paid holidays for the first time. The majority of lower-paid workers were unable to afford the additional expense of a holiday away from home, even though they received wages for the holiday period. An ambitious scheme originating from the National Fitness Council is now being considered for the provision of a chain of holiday camps, each accommodating 4000 to 5000 people at an “all-in” rate of 25s for an adult and 12s 6d for a child. Buildings "f the chalet type would be used, and ample provision would be made for sports and recreations of all kinds.