NEWS OF THE WEEK
THE Danzig situation, the subject during the past week of persistent rumours and emphatic denials, remains confused and uncertain. Arms and soldiers or potential soldiers are still going into the Free City from Germany, but while the stage seems in process of being set for a coup, it looks as if that in reality were only another move in the " war of nerves " in which Herr Hitler puts such faith and in which he has lately achieved so small success. Germany, as an article from Berlin on a later page of this issue indi- cates, is in no mood to be plunged in a European war over Danzig, and the belief that Poland would fight over Danzig and would be supported by the Western democracies is making headway in both Nazi and military quarters. At the same time, it is likely enough that Herr Hitler, who talks openly of securing the return of Danzig to the Reich with- out war, has in mind some legal move, such as the confer- ment of German nationality on Danzigers, which will con- front Poland with a very difficult choice between acquiescence and resistance. What is essential for the Poles is that in no circumstances shall Danzig be fortified. The dictum of Frederick the Great that possession of Danzig confers a greater mastery over Poland than possession of Warsaw is as true as ever it was. Given mutual goodwill, some adjust- ment of the present status of Danzig would no doubt be possible. But the city cannot be allowed to pass into the hands of declared enemies of Poland.
