Judging by the example of Lithuania, the substantial maintenance of the status quo in Danzig and the corridor is of vital importance to Danzig's independence. Indeed, Lithuania's experience has converted many who formerly held the view that it would not be worth while for Gt.
Britain or France to fight for the sake of Danzig and the corridor. That, however, means the preservation of Polish independence, which in turn is a vital factor in preserve ing the independence of Britain and France. Actually, the mere evidence that Western Europe is prepared to support Poland in defending her vital interests, will reduce, of itself, the danger of German attack.
It may be suggested that because the majority of the inhabitants of Danzig are German, Poland and her allies would not have a strong case in resisting its annexation by the Reich. To that argument there can be two answers. So long as Germany holds purely Czech territories unlawfully conquered she has no right to claim the annexation of Danzig on ethnical grounds. And it is time to discard the fetish-worship of the ethnical principle as the sole consideration determining the fate of a territory. In Danzig's case the economic and political independence of Poland's 34 million inhabitants is a consideration which ought to be dec
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.