Aug. 22.
While there can be no doubt that the prime reason why Mr, Neville Chamberlain returned, from Chequers was to obtain treatment for his throat and nose trouble, the presence of} other Ministers in London, who otherwise! would have been on holiday, gave rise to jo belief that their return was connected in some way with the situation prevailing the Continent. 'The fact that they have since eft London and returned to their holiday-Imaking is taken to indicate that there is at [present no' particular anxiety concerning immediate developments, and that they expect) to be able to pass the remainder of their vacation without interruption, It does not follow, however, that this is certain to prove the case, for there is enough explosive material lying around in Europe and other parts of the world to precipitate trouble at very short notice. General Franco's reply to the Non-Intervention Committee's scheme for the! withdrawal of the volunteers from Spain has been received in London, and while no official [statement has been made as to its nature, there seems to be general agreement between the diplomatic correspondents of European newspapers that if he has not rejected the scheme, his criticisms and objections are such fas either to amount to rejection, or to make it exceedingly difficult to carry out in quick That, and the sharpening of Signor} Gayda's criticisms of Great Britain in other Jconnections, must be taken as supporting the [contention of this journal that Anglo-Italian relations are'not improving, but probably moving in the opposite direction. It is still impossible to disassociate the German military manceuvres from the critical state of the Czechoslovakian issue. "There was a tendency originally to place too much significance on the fact that the manceuvres were being held at such a time, though that has since been dispelled by subsequent explanations. It has always to be. remembered, however, that it was the manner in which news of the manceuvres was being handled bythe German press "itself which first led to so great an interest being taken, and anxiety felt in other European countries.
It is more difficult, however, to divorce the possible moral effect of the manceuvres upon European polities, from their connection with the Sudeten German party in Czechoslovakia. The attitude of the Sudeten Germans, as dicated by the singular speech of Herr Kundt, is clearly based upon the original demands of the leader, Herr Henlein. From hem there has been no abatement, and while Lord Runciman is reported to be secking some form of compromise, there can be little doubt that whatever modus vivendi is devised, it] must, if it is to be acceptable to the Sudetens, contain much larger concessions than the Czechoslovak government has up to the pre~ sent been prepared to make. The position is still a very anxious one, with the possibility of failure to arrive at an acceptable settlement looming large in a dark picture. Tension between France and Italy appears] to have developed neither for better nor] worse during the week and the only other development of importance in Europe has] reference to the growing racial movement in Italy with especial reference to the Jews. It is not clear yet whether this will even tually take the form of persecution which is! to be observed in other countries, and indications are at the moment that it will follow 'a negative line of denying the Jews further' opportunity of increasing their influence in the country rather than the positive one of actual persecution and deprivation. In Germany a rule has been -promulgated that in addition to their other names, when non Jewish ones are used, men shall include that fof Israel, and the women that of Sarah. There may be something of significance in that for the superstitious, for it will be remembered that Sarah was the woman who Iaughed when informed of the very belated restoration of fecundity. The disorders in Palestine still continue, with signs that the authorities are gradually getting the upper liliand, despite the fact that the actions of the terrorists make the task very dificult, The Russo-Japanese dispute over the, Siberian-Manchoukup border incident at Chang-kaifeng for the moment holds fire while! negotiations are being carried out on the spot. It is reported that the Japanese do, not intend to recognize. the validity of the' map attached to the Hunchun Treaty of 1886, on which the Russians base"their claim to the by now famous hill, which may delay' very considerably the: arrival at a final' amicable solution of the matter.
In China things are static. There has been a certain amount of fighting on the north and south banks of the Yangtze, but nothing taking the form of a major action. A number of small engagements have been fought, but at the moment there is very little change to report in the positions of the opposing forces. Various estimates are given as to when' the Japanese can expect to reach Hankow, but there seems to be a general belief that some weeks, if not months, have still to pass before that objective can be reached. The Chinese display the same determination to make a great stand before the Wuhan cities, but as the fall of them has been more or less taken for granted in Chinese circles, it does not necessarily follow that such an event would have any decid-Ing influence upon the future of the struggle. That appears to be recognized by the Japanese leaders, who are reported as having made statements to that effect in Japan itself. Probably the most important development during the week, was President Roosevelt's speech at the opening of the Thousand Islands Bridge at Kingston, Ontario, His announcement that no other foreign Power. would be tolerated in north America, has aroused much speculation, and even' now newspapers are speculating as to the implications which that pronouncement entail The latest view seems to regard Canada the connecting link between the United States and Great Britain, but in any event the President has made it clear that his country will no longer remain disinterested in the event of a major outbreak, What effect this will have upon other countries remains to be seen, but it is possible that Mr. Roosevelt has made a very steadying contribution to the cause of world peace. Be that as it may, there can be little doubt that the pronouncement will have the effect of relieving Great Britain of the great responsibility of defending Canada in times of war, and will permit of greater concentration in other "spheres where that may become eminently necessary.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.