Paint War

In the Free City of Danzig, which is joined to Poland by a corridor through East Prussia, and which is shepherded by the League of Nations, a postal war was fought last week in novel hues.

Germans awoke one fine morning to find that all the mail boxes had been painted white and red--the Polish national colors. The Danzig authorities protested, stating that Poland was permitted postal sovereignty only within the Polish postoffice. The protest fell upon deaf ears. The next night, Germans repainted the mail boxes black, white and red--the old colors of Imperial Germany. Poles, angered, demanded an apology. No apology was given; the authorities instead asked the League for a ruling.

At Warsaw, Polish capital, national ire scaled great heights. The press fumed, warned Danzig that, unless it were more careful, it might become heir to a military occupation. It also reminded the unhappy Germans in Danzig that Poland "has powerful friends" -- France, Czecho-Slovakia, Rumania, Yugo-Slavia -- and could carry out her threats.