THE CHINA MAIL, JULY 31, 1941.
CHINA MAIL
-WINDSOR HOUSE
BEHIND THE FRONTS
The first wave of the Nazi attack on Russia is spent, and as the second phase develops in a fog of heavy silence on the Ger- man side it is perceived that there are three main 'fronts in this sinuous struggle, unfolding like a colossal cobra from Mur- mansk to Kishine v. The first is only an imaginary line traced between three or four widely separated points, which the blitzkrieg barely touched as it broke against the outer de.. fences of the Stalin Line. Apparently the Russians have held these forward thrusts and made coun- ter-thrusts of their own, resorting to stratagems and tricks, the injured Germans complain, to draw the innocent in- vaders on and stab them in the back.
JOINING UP FOR VICTORY.
Why Britain Cannot
Be Defeated
fought out-and fought out it will be, to the end."
We naturally inquire then why are all these civillan types and many more besides "proud" of being brought into the arena of warfare, from which normally they would shrink,
Behind these thin spearheads, in a vast field including a segment of Russia proper and all the territory the Soviets acquired in the deal with Hitler, great battles are still being fought. Here, "in the "rear" that is the
Whether a civilian wants his, his lack of training; but that he war or not should prove his ability to carry most active front, Rus-country involved in a sians and Germans say indication of how
does not necessarily afford clear on with his own job and maintain
he will con- his equilibrium in circumstances Partly no doubt it arises from of more than ordinary difficulty | an almost religious conviction they have trapped hun- duct himself, being in it.
is of the utmost importance. The that the cause for which their dreds of thousands Οι To the soldier, of course, war
may come as a welcome relief to civilian in Britain to-day is well country contende is one in which troops. This
a vital stake, second the monotonous exercises of peace aware of all this. His knows that every citizen has
the wheels of The British Empire, they feel, is front is of many
time, so that be girds himself for in times of peace
are highly lubricated, not the arbitrary dictate "of a' the task with a certain grim satis-industry sectors, of armies push- faction.
everything conceivable is single individual. It has grown, He may not believe in and
to facilitate and expedite, or evolved itself out of the com- ing forward and sag-
the value of war very much, but done
mon sense and the good nature on the other hand, he is a mem- the normal processes of trade in-
of the English people, who have ging back in a grand con- ber of a profession that regards volved in the production and in-
of commodities; but always preferred committees to fusion of perpetual and the subject as a science and he terchange
knows that the many theories he that in time of war innumerable dictators, elections to street fight- often unrelated
well-regulated debate move has studied will have to be test- obstacles begin to appear and the ing, and ments. In all these far-d sooner or later. Therefore, he resulting friction may cause the to revolutionary tribunals,
very stiffly, if has little doubt that he will give wheels to rotate flung engagements, in-
a good account of himself as be- calculably costly on both
But with the civilian it is dif- sides, there is as yet no
ferent. When war breaks out, he clear decision, but the knows he is bound to see much Germans do not conceal that he has striven for in the way of improvement, both in produc-
its a soldier and a patriot.
their disquiet at the unex- tion methods and the social con-
pected strength of the Reddition
裴
+
of the workers swept
By Centurion
They know that they could never accept the alternatives which defeat would impose upon them, and therefore given the leadership which the circum- stançes demand, they have as Mr. Churchill says, shown a certain pride in the measure of the self- surrender that they have been called upon to make for their country's sake. Doubtless the
its equipment. Hitler ly restricted, the younger and sary to the well-being of the life.
come to. be
Christian Model Accepted
ruthlessly away. Increasing costs not to stop altogether. Transporta- same phenomenon would appear Army's resistance and the are going to bring about a lower tion, too, is of vital importance to in all countries where democra quantity and quality of standard of living, transportation the whole con:munity and noth- tic institutions have
and other facilities will be great- Ing which is not absolutely neces-regarded as the only true way of made a desperate gamble move promising members of the nation as a whole should be allow-
staff will be called up for mill-ed to slow down the wheels. on the crack-up of Soviet
profit will be tary service, and
also This applies
to cultural power. He seems to have taxed almost to vanishing point. activities such as music, art, drama failed to evaluate a force He will not have the satisfaction and literature which give em- of wearing a military uniform ployment to a great many, and
It may be true to say that the acclaim him as which to some older than communism, and no one will
people are as British people are not religious necessary as the air they breathe.in the ordinary accepted sense, more instinctive than the the saviour of his country.
That is how the civilian's out- All these things are the veritable but it certainly is true that there cult of Stalin--the at-look may normally be summed life blood of the nation and while never has been an age in which
I the heart of the nation may, in
more people were struggling, tachment of the peasant up, but to-day it is different.
To-day in England the civilian time of war, be the principal with varying success, to live up masses to 'Mother finds himself in the line with the concern of the Army, the circula- to the highest ideals that are in though he tion of the blood and the free them, and to try and better the Russia, the incoherent soldier, and shocked
of its normal function conditions of the people among nevertheless feels that In this civilian. It is, therefore, a matter Many of these people hardly sian patriotism?
"total war" his status ES a of great interest and importance | think of themselves as Christian, -A third front lies be-patriotic citizen has taken on a to observe the conduct of the and yet they have accepted the and to see how he is Christian character as their model, hind both lines. Stalin much more imposing aspect than civilian
in the past. He no longer plays shouldering; these opportunities because in the long run it is the mentioned it when he the part of the timid and shrink- of maintaining the national ser-only model that defines and sust made
full the democratic a reference in ing noncombatant, but accepts the vices under the severe strain of tains to the his broadcast to "diver-new call that is being made upon total war..
him without hesitation, and even
How then are the British peo- sionists in the rear." with a certain amount of pride.
Cause A Vital One ple in all the different walks of He sees the menace to the free
life, reacting to the stress and! Hitler recognised it for institutions and to all the tradi- "All our crowds have been strain of total warfare brought
and societies
very hearth- the first time in histions and customs
for which he has striven and he proud of being under fire of the right up to their
'enemy," said the Prime Minister stones?. war proclamation when realises that he can and must play of Great Britain in a recent radlo- An unexpectedly fitting answer, he accused the Com-his part in their defence,
His value to his country least, "old men, little children, the may be found in the words of a munists of working to un- not in any latent military, zeal crippled, the veterans of former cockney charwoman who when dermine the Third Reich that he may possess because of wars, aged women, and the asked if the people in her neigh-
ordinary hard-pressed citizen or bourhood, which had been severe subject of the King, as he likes ly bombed, had been upset by it from within, and reports
to call himself, the sturdy work replied, “Oh, no, they took it all from - Germany relayed party. In the long run, man who swings hammer or loads in good part. But of course the through Stockholm tell however, it can only ex-a ahip, the skillful craftsmen, the Englishman does not like being members of every kind of AR.P. bombed; who would? He just of widespread arrests of aggerate the sharp drop service, are proud to feel that feels that his material well-being suspected Communists in German morale since they stand in the lind together must now be subordinated to high- with our fighting men when one er considerations and he tries to extending to the Nazi the Russian invasion. of the greatest causes is being make the best of it,
but cohesive force of Rus- may be at what he would nor exercise
mally consider an outrage, he is very much the concern of the whom they live.
"
Ideal of life.