THE CHINA MAIL, JULY 29, 1940.
CHINA MAIL
DEWINDSOR HOUSE
BLACK-OUT
Announcement that the Colony is soon to have its first all-night blackout serves as a reminder that common as the world now is, "black-out" was not known to the language in Hong Kong until last year.
It is not a particularly welcome addition to our vocabulary, for that mat- ter. There is a sort of grim finality about the word. Somehow it makes war and destruction seem very near and very real to those of us who are for- tunately situated far from conflict.
Late at night one lies in his pit-dark bed-room
Not even a twinkle of starlight finds its way through the clouds to send a cheering beam in the window. The dark- ness seems very real
Instinctively the hand of the nocturnal ponderer gropes for a switch, finds it; and the room is flooded with light.
darkness
Where has gone? Has it retreated through the windows? Hardly. Has it drawn it-
self up into the closet?
MUSICAL CHAIRS IN THE BALKANS
(Copyright in All Countries.)
The Problem Of Leadership
Not at all. It never was. It| In every country, where re- In other words
ness.
We have seen how France had
grow up; new
the United wears the shoes is entitled to give real experience.
By "Civis"
The "Silent War"
was nothingness. It was volutions have occurred, the seat States has thrown up the right an opinion of their comfort u1 Such men have brought vitality into the national the absence of light. The ot the trouble has been found in leader at the most critical period discomfort. In the past month and reality
defective leadership. In Russia, of its history. Why is it that two we have had the privilege of councils since they were included, flick of an electric switch Germany, Italy and Spain, the other nations cannot do the same? listening over the wireless to new for they spring from and repre- flooded the room
with ruling house, or the ruling assem- Why does a kind of paralysis speakers like Ernest Bevin, A. Vsent that vast body of workers bly had become so detached from seize a nation when confronted Alexander, Noel Baker and Her upon whose shoulders the final light and the light prov-the common people as to be quite with an evil that must in due bert Morrison, and what im responsibility for winning this ed the nonexistence of ignorant of its grievances and of course be removed?
presses the listener about them is war rests. It can no longer be . its aspirations. The classical The means by which a nation the deep sincerity, the note of said that there is a professional darkness. Yet a little illustration of this attitude is makes known its real thought is conviction and the mastery of governing class and that the child, before he learns the found in Marie Antoniette's re-through free discussion in the their subject which they display salvation of the state depends on the platform, in the A person like; Maxton always the maintenance of its authority. essential nothingness of mark when she heard of people press, on
crying for bread, and asked why theatre and now over the radio. held the attention of the House The march of progress or rather darkness, is apt to find it they did not eat cakes.
of Commons, as well as the Union the changing outlook makes it It may howeyer- not only be a
Fat. Oxford because he spoke as necessary to call upon such men, frightening.
ruling house that is at fault, or a
one who had been through the while the problem that will arsie Perhaps one day tired ruling caste, it might even be a
fiery furnace of poverty and after the war and which will af- suffering,
fect the vast majority of the na- humanity, groping in sty-ruling assembly.
These .men have а deeper tion they represent will make it gian gloom, will find the a parliament consisting of mem-If these are controlled then re-
more impossible to dispense with their must follow until such Psychological insight and switch to flood the worldbers who by corruption and in-pression
trigue through their different time as the grievances generate sympathetic understanding of the knowledge and experience. The who nation is in good health which with tolerance and kind-parties managed to get themselves sufficient energy and
courage to social problem than those
the means by which the bonds. Such states are kind-hearted and intelligent provides Then it will learn elected and then as representa-break
but without the advantage of such leaders can come to the top. tives served. first of all their own then under the control of an that the words, "Do unto interests and then those of their oligarchy can only change by re-
volutionary methods. others as you would that party friends. others should do unto may be in conception and even in free institutions and yet as we .A system however excellent it A democratic state may have| you," constitute not an practice during the first years of have seen it may also allow the empty platitude, but the fised and cease to be responsive and so be no better off than the enthusiasm, may become crystal-government to become a machine, fundamental law of life. to the urgent needs of the people. citizens in a despotic state. "My job is to strangle Hitler's] "Her aircraft can no longer fly;
A new
economic system may If the reality that is
The business of choosing lead-economy and buy up goods under her tanks can no longer move; her inventions may
lorries can no longer run; her ships light can prove the noth-have as devastating an effecters is the most important as well his nose; it is a silent avar.
"You know, as our airmen and can no longer travel either on or ingness of darkness, is it upon national life as the mech-as the most difficult of all the
"In my task of starving Hitler anised units of an invading army. duties of a free people. Britain our soldiers know, that with any under the sea. not equally true that jus-The international situation may is full of well meaning men and thing like equality of equipment
what is in the air and on the ground, they of oil I am magnificently aided by change and make home politics women who belong to tice may some time wipe of fesser importance than before, known as the ruling class. Their can drive the Germans before the Royal Air Force, who, over and And you know above their splendid work in the out injustice, that free-unless a Government adjusts it-public services are as disinterest-them like chaff. dom may burst the bonds self to these changing currents ed as it is possible for. such ser that the present inequality of battle zone, have been bombing of those peoples who are ing of its people it
and satisfies the legitimate crav-vices to be. Their own position equipment is being put right by with tremendous effect oil-storage will either being assured, they are ready to the magnificent efforts of the men tanks and coal-oil plants in Ger- many,Thus they strike at the root of Hitler's power to wage the enslaved, that the Broth-find itself in the throes of a re-attend to the needs of the comin the workshops.
is no doubt "My purpose is to stop anything war." volution or the conquered victim munity, and there erhood of Man may des- of a powerful neighbour.
that an honourable record of re-going into Germany which would "Hitler might plunder enough troy suspicion and hatr-united States has escaped internal to them.
unhappy little quite obvious that the forms and improvements belongs help him to prolong the war and to from enslaved,
We have only. to think prevent any goods coming out countries to feed his hungry people ed?
trouble by the social legislation of men like Shaftesbury, Broug-from Germany which would give during this summer, but as sum- mer turns into autumn he begins introduced by President Roosevelt ham, Wilberforce, Howard, As-Hitler any foreign exchange."
to-lose. and it will escape external attacks quith, Grey and a score of others
"Fleis more and more block- by the vast programme of armn-to realise and appreciate the ex- ments. it has just adopted.
tent of their services. They en-
ading himself and his long-term joy the prestige, and they have|
Tosses from this cause are incalcu- the power of expressing often
lable. In Germany the strain better than the people themselves,
begins to tell. Innumerable pro-
restrictions torn beach at Dunkirk, aby ceaseless shelling and what is wanted. They, also know that the continuance of their
enforced by an army of spies and lieutenant-commander of bombing.
ruling power together with its
policemen, and over all broods the The the British Navy pretend-|
lieutenant-privileges is dependent on remov-
darkening shadow of inflation,
"Hitler is striking now with all ed to try to catch shells. commander was decorating grievances before they become
too serious for peaceful settle- "The Germans cannot hope to his force, without regard for win a long war. In the long tuneconomic consequences," without As they whistled pasted in the latest honours ment.
It must be admitted that such we shall get them down.. Their regard for the losses he sustains, his outstretched hands, he list.
people have done good work, and only hope is to win a short war, in the hope of immediate and total cried "Rotten shot!" and He explained that the have shown great prescience, and that we shall not let them do victory. "Better luck next time, ammunition dump wasEducation, and a wider distribu- spreading like weals across the It is quite literally a life and death
But with rising standards of Already streaks of shortage-are-We-are-in-a-tremendous-fight...
Jerry!"
really the best place, be-tion of the ability to give expres-economic body of Germany. atruggle. We have to face, every "Hitler and his advisers, will one of us clvillans, not less than He was trying to heart-cause had it blown up un-ion to the peoples-needs, it is
how possible and desirable that put on solemn faces when they soldiers, sailors, and alrmen, heavyTM**** en the hundreds of sold-der him he would not haveleaders should come from that speak of oil. Without sufficient labours, risks of death and dis- jers around him whose had to bother with hos-section of society which knows oil Germany's war machine slows ablement, pain and fear, and just to what extent the shop down and finally comes to a dead honvy sorrows. Mctory may bo
distant. But it is sure;" nerves had been frayed pital treatment!
pinches. Only the person who stop.
BRITON
Perched on an ammuni- tion dump on the battle-
It is
*
Dalton,
By Hugh Blockade Minister ions and
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are