1940-07-22 — Page 7

THE CHINA MAIL, JULY 22, 1940.

CHINA MAIL

REWINDSOR HOUSE

BRITAIN'S TASK

Britain's immediate strategy in the battle now to be joined must perforce be concentrated on a pre- liminary campaign of de- fence, to gain time for the potentiality of attack to be created. It is not the happiest position but tliere are many factors to leave us well content. In his recent broadcast, Mr. Churchill estimated the prospects of an invasion of England, and set against the enemy's new advantage of ports and aerodromes from which to launch it certain substan- tial factors that did not operate for us in the last War. During that strug- gle we had denuded this country of troops, and re- lied almost entirely on the Navy for home de- ience. To-day we have our main military force with- in our own shores. The ex- peditionary force has re- turned from France; we have large and highly trained contingents from the Dominions among us; in all there are a million of and a quarter men under the stupendous course of events arms in the British Isles, which in nine months has wreck- ed the -Europe we have known besides the Local Defence and brought the tide of barbarism Volunteers. To launch to our shores. It has its external and its internal history, and

ON THE WINGS OF THE DOVE

Page

Waiting For The

While we wait for the opening]

the next act, let us draw breath for a moment and consider

exhaust power.

absolutely

Next

convulsed,

was

Act

ever,

Equally it is incumbent on the civilian not to be a casualty if he can possibly avoid it. That is something more than a negative task. It means constant over- hauling of air-raid shelters and. other precautions taken at home; as well as rigid abstinence from the temptation of going into the against these an invading neither can be understood with-captured by the idea of a newition of all that makes life worth open to watch battles in the air way of life in which they would living to free and self-respecting after the sirens have sounded. It army of even five divisions out the other.

be citizens of small men and women. "Order" as a was reported last week that in At the beginning the map of no longer would require two or three Europe with its firmly

at the mercy of their preliminary to the enslavement of spite of all the warnings on this marked States

large numbers

had hundred ships, which boundaries still looked secure, greater neighbours, or of demo-Europe, not to its reconstruction subject,

own as a comity of free nations living "watched breathlessly and ap- and by going out of his way to cratic politicians in their

plauded loudly" when enemy aero- would have to run the conclude pacts of friendship and country, but share the pride and in peace. gauntlet of the Royal non-aggression-with-his-smaller glory of a triumphant Nordic race. When we read in the works of planes were brought down, and

In ighbours. Hitler created

wrongly the German mystagogue, Hegel, that some of them had been in- The "Quislings" were the Navy, unprotected by any-inusion that he would respect interpreted as common spies and that "moral claims must not be jured by shrapnel. This should. were men holding brought into collision with world-be branded as uncitizenlike con- thing approaching the their neutrality. The Allies still traitors; they

and that "the duct. Let anyone who is tempted thought of them as a series of key positions in their own coun-historical deeds," maritime strength of the buffer States standing between trics, fanatical believers in the litany of private virtues to it remember that each casualty Kaiser's Germany, though him and them which he would Nordic doctrine and prepared to modesty, humility, philanthropy requires on the average the at- came forbearance - must not be raised tention of three other persons, it when the sign not venture to invade, or which, act on

or against them," we thought it to possibly for weeks that never justified him he did invade them, would op from the leader in Berlin. in risking an invasion.pose him sufficiently to weaken THE GHOICE FOR US be the kind of paradox with months, and is to that extent a

The ascendancy of our and perhaps beds their ever say th whole Hellenic world of inattentive students. But we

"The whole Hellenic world," which professors catch the ears drain on the national resources.

• MEASURABLE RISKS ** air-men over their adver-mination to defend their indepen-cribing the war between Athens have learnt that these are literally

the precepts of the German dicta- We have fair evidence that, if "was" Sparta, saries has been one of the dence by whichever belligerent it and

tor as he spreads his anarchy the proper precautions are taken, might be threatened, and in since in each State the leaders of through peaceful and law-abiding the loss of life from air-raids can most indisputable facts speaking of their neutrality had the democratic parties were at

and dictator- be reduced far below the level lands Anarchy proved in action during insisted that it was

impartial between the great com-

ship," says a recent writer, "are thought possible a few years ago By J.A. Spender twin brothers masked to look as or even last year. the past months; our re-batants. This placed France and

But the une unlike each other as possible." It easy thought remains that we a serious dilemma. lative strength stands Britain in

They could not approach neutral variance

less surprising than we may be the next victim, that the with the oligarchs, the higher now than at any governments with a view to con- former Seeking to bring in the thought that the different dieta next blow may fall on us. So it tors should rave joined hands ir may, We may be struck by light- time since the outbreak certed action for their defence Athenians, the latter the Spartans. making the tremendous havoc of ning, we may be run over in the without giving Hitler the excuse in time of peace they would have the historic European society that streets a liability which in of war, and is steadily im-he wanted to attack thern, and had no pretext for asking for

reflecting on their lown honesty in their

we are now witnessing. intervention, proving.

Madrid during two in- or any professing to stand for the free clination to do so, yet now that OUR PRESENT- DUTY

bombing proved far more danger- Fighting on the defen-dom and independence of all the these two States were at war, any We have now to defend all thatjous than that of being killed by sive over our own country; nations.

faction which desired a revolution is of value in this society. It has bombs. There are no certainties."

we do the other to bear a much larger pro-the smaller Powers were

our system, stillents and the strengthening of its the same standards of right and familiar risks, intp portion of that strength convinced that Hitler would abide own." There were thus ruthless wrong, good and evil, humanity and having taken all reasonable. than

by his pacts and that they stood civil wars going on in the differ-fand inhumanity, as individuals in precautions, keep them in the we ever did in no need of assistance from his ent city States side by side with their dealings with one another, background of our thoughts.

But the greatest of all the France. Nor need our tac-enemies.. Then the truth burst the external war between the It totally rejects the idea that evil tics be wholly defensive; upon them. He had really meant two great antagonists, Sparta and becomes good when practised by correctives to fear is the sense of statesmen and dictators for the duty to fulfil and daily tasks 'to the power of the Royal Air his book that boundaries had no The state of Europe to-day has benefit of their States. It insists perform. The unoccupied, upon. his tribe. a fearful resemblance to this pic-that the litany of philanthropy whom time hangs and who have Force to strike hard at sanctity for him and

shall be heard, leisure to think and to brood and By practising this, doctrine ruth-ture. Here, too, in many coun-and forbearance. military objectives in Ger-lessly and unscrupulously, he tries there have been civil wars In such a cause we need to put to fear, are least of all to be the whole armour of God. envied in these days.. The vast many has been abundant caught, the small Powers off their going on simultaneously with the on

guard, with none but the most Great War, wars raising funda-which means to keep constantly majority, men and women, ly demonstrated. No doubt hastily improvised plans for their mental ideas between which we in our minds, as a lamp burning happy in having their duties im- lown defence, and scarcely any for have to make our choice. What within us, the greatness of the posed on them, whether it is to the struggle for mastery joint action with one another or are, these ideas? What is it that purpose to which, under Pro- carry on their daily business, to are called. Let us spend themselves in the factories, in the air will dominate with the Allies. The latter came we here in "our" finest hour," as vidence, we the whole war for the re-l

chivalrously to their aid and by Mr. Churchill finely calls it, have yield ourselves without reserve to nurse the sick and wounded, appeals which, in noble to join in plans for mutual aid in so doing involved their own to defend even single-handed, and to the

village, or just to mainder of this summer. forces by a hopeless resistance: what is it that we shall be and fitting words, the Prime the city or We have to face the fact of her own army and that of her. We shall be resisting anarchy.

Minister has addressed to us all keep the home going, to see that France, having lost a large part resisting?

BANISH THE NIGHTMARE children are cared for and fed, toTM that we still fight against Ally in the Flanders trap, was The Nazis call it "order" the Having heard what, the Prime perform the teacher's part day by

they Minister has said of our immense day in the schoolroom, heavy odds. But in no de-now exposed to the full blast of a "totalitarian order” which

and on' sea threaten to impose on France. It defensive resources greatly superior German force.

All these, by simply doing "tho concentrated on a tasks that lie before them," will partment of war is it more These are the

external facts, is "order as in Warsaw," order land,, now certain that every day of but they gain a new meaning, if which tramples on peaceful and single purpose, it should need no find that they have gone far to we read them in the context of well-established centres of Gov- great courage for the average cast out fear, There remain the successful defence means the immense moral and Intellec-ernment and civilisations with civilian to banish the nightmare old and infirm, for whom there -to-be-nothing-but-to- definite progress towards, tual confusion which accompanied their roots in history and tradl of the big invasion. If they come may seem

them. The Nazi doctrine had ton, which draws a trail of ruin it may be the first of his duties look on. But "they also first, material equality, eaten into the vitals of a large and tamine over Europe and in to stay where he is and leave the who only stand and wait," and it nations, the end offers the "hegemony" of roads to the soldiers. Not to be is in their power to offer exam- then superiority, and at number of the smaller

Men in high positions in Norway, Berlin, the rule of Gestapo and a refugey will then be the best ples of courage and steadfastness

which may be a high service. last complete victory.. Holland, and Belgium had been Concentration Camp, the extmorservice he can render.

THE DUPED NEUTRALS

years of

we shall be able to bring up to the last moment most of for the discomfiture of its oppon- that States should be judged by these risks, as

found it easy to bring in allies striven to keep alive the belief But we must, so to speak, absorb

↓

what he said when he wrote in Athens.

are

serve