The News That Interests and Matters JUNE 18 JUNE 22

AT HOME ABROAD
Imperial Conference Ends
The Imperial Conference has now ended and a report has been issued. The main. fields of Commonwealth defence are indicated here, among them being naval basis and ports, air bases, technical cooperation and co-operation in the production of munitions.
The various foreign policies are to be maintained, as well as allegiance to the League of Nations. Approach is given to the principle of separation of the Peace Treaties from the Covenant of the League. Approval is also given to all efforts to promote international trade, as well as to the Austealian Premier's proposed Pacific pact.
New Profits Tax
.Sr John Simon, Chancellor of the Exchequer, has issued a new White Paper giving details of the tax substituted for the National Defence, Contribution. The yield of this new tax is estimated at £25,000,000 (compared with £12,000,000, the final figure given for N.D.C. before its abolition). This tax will be at the rate of five per cent. on trade and business profits, starting at £2,000. Professions are excluded and the tax is lowered to four per cent. in the case of individuals or firms. Public utility undertakings are exempted and powers are available for the partial or total remission of the tax in respect of new industries in the special areas. The duration of the tax will be five years from March 31, 1937. Taken as a whole, the tax has been well received, largely becausss of its simple nature, and an easy passage for the Bill in Parliament is expected.
Empire Marketing Board Revived
Mr. Ormsby-Gore, Secretary for the Colonies, has announced that the Empire Marketing Board is to be revived after a lapse of four years for the Colonial Empire only. The Board was abolished in 1933 as the Dominions were unwilling to bear their share of the yearly cost of i500,000 and Mr. J. H. Thomas, the then Colonial Secretary, considered its further existence in these circumstances unfair to the British tax-payer. Mr. Ormsby-Gore is to ask for an annual grant in Parliament.
League of Nations Union
At the annual conference of the League of Nations Union at Torquay, Mr. Syrett, Chairman of the Finance Committee, referred to the serious financial situation. The number of subscriptions paid in 1936 fell by six and a half per cent., but the amount received actually rose by two per cent. Some twenty thousand members are lost every year by death or resignation, but this is practically made up for by new members. Youth membership is on the increase. 1 Baron von Neurath, the German Foreign Minister, was to have arrived in Von Neurath not for London London on a brief visit as the official guest of the Government. No negotiations were officially announced but it was thought likely that an exchange of views would take place on various outstanding problems, particularly the Spanish civil war. This visit has, however, been postponed indefinitely as Baron von Neurath has to stay in Berlin owing to the new GermanoSpanish crisis.
By-Elections
Polling at Plymouth (Drake) took place on June 15, and the result was: Major H. Guest (Cone) .. 15,778 G. T. Garrett (Lab.) .. .. 11,044 Cons. majority .. 4,714 Previous Cons. majority .. .. 6,078 Hemel Hempstead and Cheltenham polled on June 22, and FloIland-withBostcin on June 24. A substantial Conservative majority was anticipated at Hemel Hempstead, where Conservative, Liberal and Labour candidates weal to the poll, but at Cheltenham the defeat of the Conservative candidate by even so small a majority as 339 votes caused considerable surprise among the Conservative electorate. There are no further changes at Bewdley, St. Ives, Ilford, Kingston-on-Thames or Chertsey, save for a new Independent candidate in the lastmentioned. In North Dorset the Labour Party is not to fight the seat and there is likely to be a straight and close fight between the Conservative and the Liberal candidate, the Hon. J. Borthwick.
Gift for Earl Baldwin
It is officially announced that Earl Baldwin has received a gift of £250,000 from an anonymous donor. This gift is a token of gratitude for Earl Baldwin's handling of the recent crisis and is to be devoted to the purpose best calculated to serve the interests of inter-Imperial unilication.
Famous Writer Dies
Sir James Barrie, the famous author and playwright. has died in London at the age of 77. An intensely shy and retiring man by nature, he had the gift of abiding charm and whimsicality in his writings. Among his beet-known works were "Dear Brutus," "A Window in Thrums" and " Mary Rose." Of recent years the Barrie vogue had somewhat declined, and his last play, " The Boy David," was not a success, but be remained to the end one of the great literary figures of his day.
Ex-President Dournergue Dead
M. Doumergue, the former French Premier and President, has died at his home, near Nimes, in Southern .France, aged 74. A Protestant, M. Dournergue entered Parliament as a Radical and went on a mission to Russia during the Great War. He was President of France from 1924 to 1931 and in 1933, at a period of crisis, was asked to form a cabinet of National Union. Here, however, he was lees succes,sful, and in 1934 he retired again into private life. A strong man and popular figure, he was accused by some of Fascist tendencies, but he will he remembered mainly for his tact and skill when President of France.
uan General in Paris
Gen. Beck, Chief of Staff of the German Army, has been on a short visit to Paris and established contact with General Garnelin, as a result of conversations between the latter and Marshal von Blomberg in London at the Coronation. This is the first visit of a German General to Paris since the Great War and is welcomed as a sign of easing tension between Paris and Berlin. Many French generals attended a dinner given in his honour at the French Embassy.
Heir for Princess Juliana Expected
Princess Juliana of Holland, in a radio speech thanking the people of Amsterdam for their cordial reception, stated that she was unable to attend all the, festivities in view of the fact that she was prepar ing for a happy event. Princess Juliana is 28 years of age and married Prince Bernhard zur Lippe-Biesterfeld on January 7, 1937. She came to London with her husband for the Coronation celebrations.
Crown Prince for Bulgaria
A Crown Prince was born to the Queen of Bulgaria on June 16 at the Royal Palace of Sofia. The event was greeted with great rejoicing all over Bulgaria and crowds streamed into the Palace grounds to greet the King. The infant Prince will be named Simeon, after Simeon the Great, a tenth-century Bulgarian king whose realm stretched from the Adriatic to the Aegean end Black Seas. A wide amnesty to prisoners was granted, several death sentences being commuted, and large-scale tax remissions were accorded.
Little Entente Meeting
Dr. Hottest, the Czech Premier, has joined the Rumanian Foreign Minister, M. Antonescu, and Premier, M. Tatareseu, as well as the Jugoslav Premier, M. Stoyadinovitch, on a yacht in the Danube, off Turniv Severin. Among the problems discussed were the Little Entente attitude to recent events in urope and in Russia, as well as the likely effect of the latter, and the safety of the Little Entente based upon mutual assistance pacts.
Grave French Crisis
A week of political sensations in France has ended in the fall of M. Blum after some fifteen months of office. A grave financial crisis had arisen, to deal with which M. Blum asked for plenary powers intended to protect investors and the currency. At first the Communists refused to support him, but finally they did so and he won a surprising victory with a majority of 99 in the Chamber. His request was, however, refused by the Senate, which voted an amendment of its own. This M. Blum rejected and he resigned from office, after appealing to the nation to remain calm and do nothing to aggravate the serious position. President Lebrun then called upon M. Chautemps, the Radical leader, to form a cabinet. The latter succeeded in securing the support of the Left and took over the reins of office.
Spanish War
Once again all interest in the Spanish civil war has been concentrated qpon the Basque front. General Davila's forces have made another mighty push and have entered Bilbao. The Basque government has retired to Castro Urdiales and refugees have been pouring along to Santander. The government forces claim minor suece,sses in other districts, but these so far are unconfirmed. Congratulatory messages have been sent by Herr Hitler and Signor Mussolini in reply to General Franco's announcement of the fall of Bilbao.
Non-Intervention
The situation as regards non-intervention has again become grave as a result of the German claim that an attempt had been made by a Spanish government submarine to torpedo the destroyer Leipzig off Oran (Algeria). The Spanish government states that all submarines were in port at the time. Great indignation prevails in Berlin, where immediate and vigorous action is being insisted upon. As a result of the gravity of the situation the German Foreign Minister's projected trip to London has been postponed and it is even threatened that Germany may once more leave the Non-Intervention Committee.
MoscowU.S.A . Non-Stop
Three Soviet airmen, Messrs. Chakaioff, Baydukoll and Beliakoff, have flown nonstop from Moscow to Portland (Oregon, U.S.A.) via the North Pole in 2 days 15 hours. The distance is roughly 5.500 miles. The flyers were congratulated in telegrams received from President Roosevelt and Stalin.