1940-09-19 — Page 7

THE CHINA MAIL, SEPTEMBER 19, 1940.

CHINA MAIL

WINDSOR HOUSE

A NEW ELEMENT

One cannot help feeling that the German conquest of France has strengthened Britain in a variety of ways. Instead of pur- suing the war in a more or less leisurely way owing to her pre- ponderating naval forces, for the Arst time in history the British Empire has really been roused to a sense of danger. That has re- leased those latent forces the strength and extent of which have never been tested, but the quality of which is now being proved. The greatness of this spiritual, moral and material reserve has surpris- ed, and will surprise Germany and Italy; still more it has even sur- prised the Empire.

The collapse of France was a disaster but at the same time it was a warning. It expelled those Jorces that make for disruption within the country, it showed the pacifists such as Bertrand Russell that the privilege of being allow- ed to hold and express their views. depended on their willingness to abandon them at least temporarily.

The sea that encircles Britain is like the hydraulic press that con- solidates the nation. The des- truction of France and the pres-] sure from Germany merely in- creases that unity. Then the con- quest of France has brought the Germans to the coast, the limit of their domination. On land with their vast forces they have swept all in front of them. Their tanks, big guns and massed bat- talions have registered their effect; after careful planning and long training, but the sea is not

a

(Copyright in All Countries.)

SCRAP METAL WEEK

ONLY AWAIT THE SIGNAL FROM THE FÜHRER TO START" says GÖRING

Democracy-British & French

German element. That is Britain's In this article Wickham Steed

as was clearly proved at Dunkirk. turns his analytical mind on the

on land with

The Germans are fairly certain contrast between the democracies their mechanical of Britain and France; and says that "it is misleading to look upon equipment where man is subordin-

the one as identical with the ate to the machine, and when in other" He is convinced that Bri massed battalions, .where the tain will win the War for freedom. soldier is still part of 3 great and for the democratic systems. machine, but when he comes to

has

because

If I had not known France and underlying this phrase has never police alike are

completely disappeared.

democracy

regard as British

are so

By Wickham Steed

:

la mefiance de la meflance n'est

pas encore de la confiance."

Clemenceau admitted the truth

of this explanation. He himselt had overthrown too many French Governments, because he dis- trusted their subservience to the. State, for him to be able to deny it. He was a sincere Republican

were

the sea, with its uncertain moods, France have succumbed, for the put by the British poet, Kipling, in not help the police in any strug- lacked in recent years Republi- The democratic institutions of Crown and the Kingship was well liable to punishment if they do of the older school and I think it is because French democracy has demanding quick decisions and present, to the disintegrating in- 1999 in a poem which described gle with lawbreakers,

cans of this type that democratic rapid adjustments to changing fluences of Nazi propaganda and "How our King is one with us, situations, which require initialo the blows of the German War first among his peers."

This principle of individual re- institutions have now collapsed: ponsibility is the foundation of in France. tive and imagination on the part machine. Is there any valid rea-

Neither we nor the Wearer of British democracy. And this, in. Even those, who, like me, be- those in control, he is at a son to believe that what has hap the Crown would accept for an in- the last resort, is why Britons lieve that democratic systems of

pened in France will not or can- loss. Such things cannot be plannot happen in Great Britain? stant any such conception as that tend to trust their Governments, ned ahead It is here that the believe that there is and I am not expressed in the famous phrase of as long as their Governments be- government are the best, know spirit of true democracy, finds ex-conscious of patrio bias when Louis XIV: "L'Etat, c'est Mot!" In have well, and to trust the police, also that they are the hardest to France, on the contrary, the ideal pression. Even is this more em- And, the reason convincing.

the Government and work successfully. They need to phatically the case in the air. It

looked upon as be served in the spirit of the Ser-.. is this which is causing Hitler to her institutions for nearly half a French "Etat has little in com- have been entrusted to them by for freedom like: archangels and, The wielding only, those, powers, which bian proverb: "Men should fight pause. He has got to cross that century I should feel unable to

with the British mon

"State: the community of citizens. This, when they have won it, should stretch of water and he has got account for the collapse of the

too, is why a great struggle like live in it like saints.".. to get control of it. He then has Third Republic. And were I not

this war, which involves the free There were political "saints" in to land in face of a fiercer oppo-an Englishman, born and bred in

dom and the very existence of the the earlier years of the French the British Traditions of a con: sition than he

also community, is felt to be a matter Republic, but there eyer met,

stitutional freedom which implies Small wonder if it is beginning to the fulfilment of individual duties

In which every individual must many sinners. Latterly there seem dawn upon him that he cannot do as well as the enjoyment of in

play his or her part. The failure to have been more sinners than of a Government, or the loss of a saints as phrases like "La Re- it, for while we can destroy the dividual rights, I might not be so

battle, would not involve the publique des Camarades" and vast equipment he has assembled sure that Great Britain will be;

failure or the collapse of the L'Assiette au Beurre" suggested for attack, he cannot destroy our spared the fate of France vast organisation of defence. His] The differences between what True though it be that in 1789 community. Another Government to say nothing of the various Ithe French National Assembly would be set up, new armies scandals that disgraced French targets, are large military objec. was known as French democracy revolted against the weak and would be formed as long as there public life. tives, our targets, for him, are St. and what we

fundamental foolish absolutism of Louis XVI, were any citizens left to do their The downfall of democratic Paul's Cathedral and Buckingham that it is misleading to look upon and issued the "Declaration of the duty.

France, has confirmed this diag- Palace. His great victories are in the one as identical with the Rights of Man" as a charter of in-| jeopardy until he secures a fur-other.

The tendency of the French nosis. Marshal Petain's Govern- dividual freedom, the idea of the

ment has repudiated the prin- ther victory. He is urged on by The greatest difference between State as something superior to the people, on the other hand, has al-

to distrust Govern- ciples of 1789 and gone back to Bourbon France. It has become a relentless fate that demands he the British and the French con community persisted almost un-ways been

changed, and needed only the ments and the police as repre-clear that French democracy was should stake all and fail,

ceptiohs of democracy concerns the relationship of the State to masterful hand of Napoleon Bona-sentatives of a State that claims undermined and corrupted from and tries to exercise mare au within before it succumbed to the No wonder the American cor-the community or nation. Britons parte to restore it.

Even under the Third Republic citizens has entrusted them with

thority than the community of

German war machine. Is there any respondent in Berlin the other do not think of "the State" ns day did not see a smiling face. No something intrinsically superior French officials remained "fone: The French Chamber constantly danger that the British democracy

de" l'Etat," deriving to the community or as possessing tionnaires the New other powers

felt it necessary to assert its own may likewise succumb?, or authority than their prestige and authority from York Market rose one to three those which the community bes- the State itself rather than from authority against the power of the I think not. British democracy, democracy points after the big air battle in tows upon it. They look upon the the members of Republican Gov- State, to choose Governments that is, I believe, much more firmly

which the French which the Germans lost nearly State as the executive organ of ernments

would check the arbitary action rooted thun French 200 planes. No wonder the the nation, as the sum total of Chambre souveraine" installed to of the State, and to, distrust those was. Indeed, most of the doctrines Governments. whenever they embodied in the Declaration of tho of English Italian newspapers are urging the institutions that have grown control the State. In much the Hitler to be more careful with his up, and have been reformed, in same way the French police have seemed to identify themselves Rights of Man were

the always been looked upon as or-too closely with the State. origin. They were the fruits of political struggles that had gone air force and to postpone the in-the course of centuries for

purpose of securing good govern- gans of the State, charged with the In 1919, when Clemenceau and on for many centuries. French vasion of Britain till the Springment under Parliamentary con-duty of keeping the people in or his Cabinet enjoyed the prestige democracy had no such native Certainly the Germans are flush-trol. By good government they der not as delegates entrusted of victory and appeared to be roots nor such a

ancestry. ed with victory and over confident understand the safeguarding of with functions which the people omnipotent, Clemenceau com-

To-day, the people of Great Bri- in their strength, but they cannot individual liberties and rights would otherwise have to perform plained bitterly to me of the dis- measure the power, that is array- within the framework of the for themselves.

trust by which he was surround-tain, through their Parliament, Like the British conception of ed, and asked why his own people have given their National Govern ed against them and so there is law and of an unwritten constitu-

tion. They conceive the Crown the State, our conceptions of of-and Parliament could not give ment full power to use their in- fear."

and its Wearer as the supreme ficials and of the police differ him the same degree of confidence dividual possessions and their lives No Britisher to-day counts the liberties,

guardians of those rights and widely from those prevailing in as the British people and Parlin in this war against the forces of and they willingly France. The English name for an ment gave to Mr. Lloyd George, tyranny. They have not abdicated cost. He does what is required of acknowledge and fullll their duty, official is "Civil Servant;" and the

their right to criticise or to change him because he can do no other fas Individuals, to serve the Crown English idea of a policeman is So I answered: "La democra- their National Government. They This as the Prime Minister said as the symbolie Head of the State, derived from the principle of tie française se mefe de l'Etat. are determined to win this war is England's greatest hour. It is During the past generation Bri-English-Common Law which, La Chambre souveraine exprime for freedom and for- the demo- a privilege to be alive to share tons have, so to speak, "nation-even to-day, makes every citizen cette mefiance, et choisit des gou-cratic system which, they are con- responsible for tho ernements pour qu'ils so meflant vinced, serves freedom best. I feel in the great honour, of Hitler's dealised" the Crown. Its safe keep personally feat and the destruction of that in and proper use are entrusted maintenance of law and order. de l'Etat, Quand un gouvernement, certain that they will win this to the Head of the Royal Family Citizens may delegate this respon comme le votre, M. le President, war, restore freedom to Europe, detestable system which would en-who wears it as the First Servant sibility to the police; but Britain's semble identifier avec Etat, la and vindicate the principles of slave mankind.

of his peoples. This view of the Common Law renders its citizens Chambre finit par s'en mefier. Or Christian civilisation itself.

wonder the stocks on