•
THE CHINA MAIL, MARCH 14, 1941.
CHINA MAIL
WINDSOR HOUSE
IN. THE TOILS
It seems unlikely now that a German attempt to invade Greece will much longer be delayed. The desperate Italian counter-offensive on the central front coinciding! with the presence in Al- bania of Signor Mussolini himself, suggests a final effort by Il Duce to restore his position and prestige without Nazi assistance. The complete failure of! the attack, bringing to the Italians nothing but 1 ghastly toll of casualties, puts Mussolini more com- pletely into the hands of Herr Hitler, and as the Greeks have declined to respond as it was hoped : they would respond, to| the Nazi war of nerves, the bluff of Germany in planting troops on the Bulgarian-Grecian front- ier is called.
There is, nevertheless, ground for the belief that Hitler is far too late. He may succeed the issue has not yet been put to the test in overrunning Greece, but nothing now can restore Italy's pres- tige. Mussolini can never resume the status of partner in a victorious al- liance. Events have caught up with the fable
MAGNA CARTA FOR WORLD FREEDOMS
SECURITY
Lend and Lease Act.
USA
TOLERANCE
What HAVE We Done To Deserve This?
FREEDOM
2
Encourage The
Conquered
of Axis invincibility and On any showing, it is clear that Italy is now no more than. Mussolini has been dealt two vital а partner reduced to the level of defeated France.
a
the seir
*
see
upon
the
what 15
By-
Harold J.Laski
never
until it begins, say this spring, to be clear to his own people. This period in my own view, is the vital period of the war.
But preparation for it is urgent, The more We can hammer at Mussolini, the more we can un- dermine his regime, the more
Despite Il Duce's appeal places
Mussolini's survival, what steps, take, the greater will be his unfallibility has been shattered. the Italians, urging therefore, he is prepared to take popularity with his own people. It is the lesson that the more
to
Page
Now For Victory
A tremendous charge has come ever Britain, it has become land of stiling, 1vces. That strain- Jf ed look which is the sort "murning after" sign of a night of
aly raids, has gone. No longer do you hear the people talk of their cobs as they go to their work,
or of the prospects of the night, as they go home in the evening, The talk now is of victory. Bri- tam is walking out of the valley of the shadow of death into the dawn of a new day. Hope has Liven way to complete confidence. There is no doubt about the end now, i. the minds of any men.
1 you want to measure the real determination of the people, the place to see it is in one of the bombed to ens. There you sudden- ly realise the quality that made the British Emp-builders. The harder you hit them. the toughe they reo.ne. You reel when you
By John Gordon
meet them as the King felt when talking to a 211 1 at Bustol, en the rubble heap that only a few hours before had been that man's home, he suddenly Ford to "Give me your hand. your pluck.
I glory in
The women are just as marvel- lous as the men, On the same day, standing on the top of a nearby also heap of ruins, which bud been a happy home, the King met and talked to a young woman, who had a nine weeks' old baby her in her arms. That woman, baby and three other children had been standing under the stairs of their home, when a bomb caused the complete collapse of the house. They were all dug out.
You might think that the shock would have upset her, that an- xiety and the loss of her home would have depressed her. Not at all. When she stood talking to the King on the heep of ruins, she was as happy and cheerful as if the King had come to pay her a peace-tine visit.
The effect of the King's visits to these bombed towns has been one of the most amazing things of the war. As soon as he arrives the flags come out and cheering crowds press round him. He goes through the town with no ceremony what- blows in Albania and Africa. And
ever, with no guards except a the degree to which his regime is
few air raid workers and a police- a personal one. weak in its foun- dations, dependent for its endur-
man, People press iound him an i shake his hand. They discuss their ance upon continued success, is
losses and they share their con- shown by the results of those
fidences with him. He has done a Nine months after en blows. First. he dismisses the
tremendous job without fuss, and tering a war which seem-blame for failure must rest any I think
chiefs of the fighting services; the On the more moderate estimate, we shall arouse hopes of libera- without sparing himself. He has
it is safe to say two tion in the conquered countries of
become one with his people, in a ed to be all over, except where but upon Mussolini him- things. The Italian defeats in Europe: and the more we arouse for the division of
Then his journalistic thugs, Europe and Africa, combined with these, the more difficult will be way that would never have been Gayda and Farinacci, begin to the growing revelations of British the task of their occupation, Sul- possible except for such a series spoils, Mussolini, by a blame the defeatist spirit of un- strength, compt: an Axis reassess.
len acquiesence can very quickly of disasters. He has made mon- archy worth while. In an age
for persons strange paradox, is now armed
ament of its whole position. Because become active opposition once it when thrones are toppling he has is given the material of hope; and made his more secure than ever, crisis in the regime itself. It is Dictators live by prestige, some in about the same rela-
important that typical that they should ask for a striking measure will have to be it is
neither in broad-based not on authority, but nor in Czechoslovakia, tion to Hitler as Marshal | purge.
on the affection of his people. A dictator can never seek concerted for its revival. If it is Poland rational cuuses for Petain or General Anton-
failure; he attempted, it will have to be un-neither in Holland nor in Norway, "Lew European order" attempt to blut dertaken by Hitler, since all Mus- has the
An air raid brings all sorts of must always escu.
are absorbed in made any psychological headway problems. One of them that seems out by revenge,
solini's energies
people remain the to affect the sentimental British trying to arrest disaster. On this These brave Bulgaria, Italy and
It is too early to regard the basis, his reduction to the posi-basis of revolt against him once people much more than even the France are to-day all pri- combination of these victories as tion of a very junior partner in the possibilities of success appear loss of their homes, is the bomb- the Axis is certain; for everyone actual; and nothing will do more ing out of their pet cats and dogs. a decisive blow in the main cam-
organisation for those A tremendous voluntary organi- soners of Germany's con-
gives to make
than We must not judge until knows that Hitler paign.
And the possibilities effective
thesation works side by side with quest of the Continent. | we
what estimate Hitler something for nothing.
the Civil defence services to loolc is compelled to news that the legend of Axis in- of more Mussolini necessity
arter animals in air raids. It is the sort of organisation you can hardly imagine in any other coun- He has shown himself up at the first real test of his efficiency. He just the great saciety, the mare try than Britain. has been defented at a stage where unbreakable are its foundations,
It has been discovered that the Still, the joint consequences of; he held most of the main curds in and that just foundations depeno { difference between a dog and a Africa and the ineptitude these events
upon the recognition that all men Cat is that the are profound. The his hands.
dog runs as far have an equal claim upon the in Albania shatter any prestige of the Axis powers has
noise as he can Those away from the They are waned very seriously.
There is a real chance that the common stock of welfare.
he Usually he runs until hope that, whatever
have in their get. not only seen to be vulnerable. very existence of his regime may I who realise this final result, Italy stands it is inevitable that men should be in jeopardy In the next few hands one of the supreme instru-drops exhausted, The cat, on the
fate of Rumenia, months; and, no doubt, the impactments of defence in the modern other hand, vanishes
again among the to gain anything out of compare the
which accepted Axis protection, of his failure on Hitler's own post-world, Those who can be accused then turns up
But Grecce, which re-ition will be important. with that of
I of failing to realise it lay them-ruins, Because of this homing in- stinct, five times as many cats as an attack which, jected it. It is inevitable also think we must beware of exag-selves open to Developments, indeed, that there should be a re-assess-gerating that impact. The German once its ethical and psychological dogs are recovered after a raid.
differs from the implications are grasped, may be ment in Spain, in Yugoslavia, of dictatorship
For human beings the problem give added interest to the British power. Turkish confidence Italian first because it is supreme- of disastrous proportions. recent conversations be- in Britain will be even more ly well organised, and, second, masses in Germany went to Hitler of what to do when your house is destroyed is much more simple. tween General Franco and strengthened. The Soviet Union because it has great victories to because he promised relief from All round the great towns now I do not believe that unemployment and the recovery there are a ring of rest centres to may recover some of its courage; its credit,
He betrayed which Mussolini and
homeless General too much of its policy has been those blows at Mussolini will be of their respect.
people, by a simple fear of gin yet to stimulate the latent them in the second; he gave them well-to-do and peer, are at once Franco and Marshal Pe-motivated
Hitler in the first only at the price of slay-sent. They are given food, shelter particularly. German, forces of opposition to
and war. He made tain. It is becoming more strength. I do not think it is even Germany. These have shown no ery
the and the opportunity to rest. Those and more obvious that too much to say that the effect on real signs in the last six years workers of Great Britain see that who can afford to do so, mostly France will be considerable, and that they are effectively organis- his victory meant their slavery pass on to friends the next day. Italy, France and Spain upon French North Africa pro-ed; and I am afraid it is unlikely and, for a period. they will accept Those who have neither friends Considerable upon the that they will find the momentum our "religion of inequality" rather who can help, nor money to help the partner, the conquer-found.
are than yield to the menace he themselves, are billetted cut. first because, at long last, there of organisation until they ed and the neutral-are are signs of
Here and there one finds difìl- an awakening in stimulated by the proof that Hit- symbolises. But they know as all in much the same boat. France from the stupor of defeat, ler can be defeated in a positive never before that they are the culties, as always they will be victory; and they found, but they are few. Britain and a growing sense that its hopes sense. We hore, of course, are architects of At some stage, under some of recovery depend on a British convinced that he has lost the will require social justice as their in fact is becoming not a nation leadership, they must all victory, Profound in the second Battle of Britain; and I think we price for it. The sooner we be- but a family. If we can only sus
become obvious are entitled to our conviction, gin to build it, the sooner we shall tain this spirit in peace as well look in common for one because it will
that Vichy enormously over But I do not feel that this will summon all Europe to the break-as in war, a new chapter in world outlet away,,of escape.; "estimated Italian power.... act as an anti-Hitler dynamic ing of the Fascist yoke.
Levoial-history is opening,« je
that it will all come right in his support in the end, the debacle in
the war.
the
Axis,
The
for a day
both