Danzig Pogroms

Following its western neighbor into violence against Jews, the Free City of Danzig was the site of a night of terror. A widespread riot occurred against Jews in the city with many shops destroyed and synagogues desecrated and burned.

Unlike in Germany, there were protests against the violence by those in power. The League of Nations Commisioner, Dr. Burkhardt of Switzerland, lodged complaints against the pogroms but he was barely heard.

Nuremberg Laws in Danzig

Yesterday, the Free City of Danzig was officially dominated by the Nazi Party from Germany. This was enacted by a vote of the Danzig Senate. This does not include the eastern neighbor Poland.

The Nuremberg Laws passed by the Nazis in the fall of 1935 are now in force in Danzig and applies to Jews regardless of nationality. The Nazi organ Vorposten, commenting on the action, ironically hopes that the Poles will be grateful to the Danzig government for its efforts to secure "racial purity" for the Free City's inhabitants.

Warsaw, however, does not see the situation in that light. It is understood that the Poles are preparing to protest this new discrimination.

The anti-Semitic drive, which began with the German excesses, continues unabated. Several Jewish-owned stores, which had reopened, closed again after the police had indicated that their reopening was a "provocation".

More than 100 Jews have been arrested during the last three days. Those who seemingly were Polish citizens were sent across the frontier. Many of them were arrested on the Polish side as deserters from the Army.

Danzig's great synagogue, damaged in the recent rioting, now is being torn down to enable the extension of the police station.

The adoption of the Nuremberg Laws is a violation of the Free City's constitution guaranteed by the League of Nations, but Commissioner Carl J. Burckhardt de Reynold is not expected to take any action. in fact, he is understood to be disillusioned and wishes to resign. The Nazis, naturally, would welcome the event.

One month ago there were widespread pogroms against Jews throughout the city-state.

Lipski leaves Bertesgaden

Polish Ambassador Józef Lipski and German Foreign Minister Joachim von Robbentrop have had their meeting in the mountain retreat at Bertesgaden. Ambassador Lipski left yesterday after the one day meeting. The topic of discussion was indeed the Free City of Danzig. Ribbentrop demanded that Poland agree to Germany's annexation of the Free City of Danzig. Lipski refused.

The Free City of Danzig is administered by the League of Nations in accordance with the stipulation in Part III, Section XI of the Treaty of Versaille in 1919. Citizens of Danzig opposed this at the time.

Czechoslovakia Capitulates

Even after the USSR made war talk at the League of Nations yesterday, Czechoslovakia has capitulated. Late last night, the government agreed to Germany's demands.

Despite this, crowds of Czechs gathered in Prague demanding Czechoslovakian troops remain in the Sudetenland. This seems all for not since the presence of German troops on the border and a promise of invasion would bring a very swift war.

The Soviet Union talks War

Today, at the League of Nations, the Soviet Foreign Minister Maxim Litvinoff accused the French and British governments of appeasement. He further accused the two nations of using Czechoslovakia to forestall war and also predicted that a larger war would result from their current actions.

Litvinoff included in his speech that the Soviet War Department was ready to discuss military plans with France. The Soviet Union it seems is ready to back up its ally Czechoslovakia.

Hitler announces that he will take Czechoslovakia

Hitler has announced that he will "smash Czechoslovakia" before October 1st. It is unclear what the League of Nations will do in response, if anything can be done. Great Britain and France have not responded to Hitler's latest declaration.

Germany increases building

In response to the messages from Great Britain and France concerning Czechoslovakia, Hitler has ordered for increase in Naval Ship building beyond the Internationally imposed limits. It also appears that Hitler is now even more certain of the course of action he feels Germany must make to protect its Eastern flank from attack.

Chemical Weapons Ban

The League of Nations adopted a resolution today against the use of chemical weapons as used by Japan in its Chinese campaign. The resolution backs up Article 171 of the Treaty of Versailles and Article V of the Treaty in Relation to the Use of Submarines and Noxious Gases in Warfare. It has recently come to attention that the Japanese have used poison gas against the Chinese in Northern China.

German-Italian Treaty

German and Italian Government officials have signed a treaty of friendship between the two European states. Mussolini's fascist Government has waged an Abyssinian campaign in Northern Africa. This has been met with opposition from the League of Nations. In an effort to help Italy, Germany has pledged friendship in a treaty signed October 25th.

League exonerates both beligerents

Both Abyssinia and Italy have been exonerated of the Walwal incident. The reasoning is that they both believed it was within their borders.

What this actually does remains to be seen.

Debate over Neutrality Act

Today was an exciting day on Capital Hill. Senate Joint Resolution No. 173 was debated by both chambers of Congress and later voted on. This controversial legislature was finally passed.

There of course was criticism of Roosevelt and this course of action. Senator Tom Connally, Democrat from Texas went on Congressional record on the saying

Is it an expression of neutrality to say to two warring nations, one of which has ambitions for territorial conquest, the other unprepared, the other weak, the other trying to pursue its own destiny—is it neutral to say to those nations, "We shall give arms to neither of you," thereby insuring the triumph of the prepared nation, the covetous nation, the ambitious nation, the nation which seeks by force of arms to impose its will on a weaker and defenseless nation?

Mr. President, that is not neutrality; that is a form of unneutrality. That is a form of declaration which announces that the United States will take the side of the strong and powerful against the weak, the unprepared, and the defenseless. Why not leave that determination to the President of the United States when and if, in his conduct of our foreign relations, it becomes a sound American policy for him to take a position in a crisis of that kind?

We cannot now put the United States into an international strait jacket and thereby keep out of war. We cannot by an act of Congress put the United States into a concrete cast internationally which will fit all future occasions and solve all future problems

Across the Atlantic Ocean in Great Britain there has also been critics. Liberal member David Marshall Mason remarked that the Neutrality Act was pre-emptive. He said "No act of war so far has been committed by Italy against Ethiopia, therefore the resolution is premature."

Later, he seemed to go back on this statement when he said "...it is a direct encouragement to Italy to proceed with her war of aggression against Ethiopia by proclaiming to the world that in such an event the United States intends to remain neutral. I trust the powers composing the League will carry out the resolutions of the League and that powers outside the League, such as Germany and Japan, will act sympathetically."

Mister Mason continued his statement with a conditional: "Should the powers stand up to the their covenant, I pray and trust peace will be preserved, and such a decision does not rule out the possibility of still meeting the just aspirations of Italy for an honorable settlement."

It's a provocative statement on the times but the fate of a sovereign nation is still within the hands of those duly elected to serve it. The League has not the power to force a nation to create war when it wishes not to.

Update on Abyssinian Crisis

The League of Nations continues to do nothing to avert a looming war. When a deadline they selected came they noted that no fifth power had been selected to join in the talks with Italy and Abyssinia. Then the body limited talks between Italy and Abyssinia to anything except the sovereignty of Walwal.

Abyssinia has pled for a lifting on the arms embargo and officially did so today. They, unlike Italy, are poorly equipped for war with a European power.

Great Britain steps in

As the Abyssinian Crisis continues, Abyssinia asks for neutral observers on June 19th and Great Britain moves in to stop a possible war. They sent Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Anthony Eden to negotiate peace in late June.

However, Mussolini is bent only on conquest of Abyssinia. Eden returned to Britain with nothing accomplished.

The response from Great Britain is that the Royal Navy will be clearing all of its ships from the Mediterranean Sea in the event war breaks out.

The League of Nations has also imposed a ban on armaments to both nations.

League of Nations resolves to do nothing much

The League of Nations met during a special session from May 21-22 to discuss the Abyssinian Crisis. Though much was said, nothing is being done.

At this time, the League has resolved to meet if no fifth arbitrator has been selected by June 25, or if a settlement was not reached by August 25. They can offer little hope to Abyssinia which finds itself with a knife to its throat.

Italians yield

After three and half months of appeals by the Abyssinian Empire to the League of Nations, something has finally happened. Italy has finally yielded to the League of Nations on arbitration of the Walwal Incident that occurred December 5th.

Abyssinia makes another appeal

The Abyssinian Crisis continues. On February 23rd, the Italians began to increase the troop level in the neighboring colonies of Eritrea and Italian Somaliland. With little international protest to these actions, Mussolini continued undeterred.

On March 8, Abyssinia again requests arbitration and notes Italian military build-up that no one seems to care about.

On March 13, Italy and Abyssinia agree on a neutral zone in the Ogaden. Yesterday, Abyssinia again appealed to the League due to continued Italian build-up that shows no sign of decreasing.

Abyssinia makes second appeal

The Government of Abyssinia makes a second appeal to the League of Nations for arbitration in the Walwal incident. This was a skirmish between Abyssinian and Italian troops in Abyssinian territory that took place on December 5th.

The League of Nations has done nothing at this point prompting the Abyssinians to ask again for arbitration.

Saarland plebiscite approved

The League Council, a committee within the League of Nations, has voted today to approve the recent plebiscite that occurred in the Saarland.

The people of the Saarland voted overwhelmingly to reunite with Germany and end the mandate. The French government will no longer administer to the region.

Abyssinia appeals to League of Nations

In an effort to rectify problems with Italy that have risen in the past month, Abyssinia has made an appeal to the League of Nations. Emperor Selassie made a personal appeal to arbitrate between Abyssinia and Italy.