CHINA MAIL Spiritual Issues at Stake
WINDSOR HOUSE
ENTRY RESTRICTION
Were clue needed to Government's mind on the subject of evacuation. it is provided by the De- fence (Entry Restriction) Regulations gazetted on Tuesday.
many others.
sion.
and then casually step-Norway and Holland, as well as cluding our own share
"We affirm that all nations in-
one
people now.
respon-
we
sense
Neither Laudable Nor
Honourable
by;
of
it
+
A Disgraceful Record
our
In-
of
"The great question confront-
whether ing us is
nation which has thus far so deeply fail- ed can now be developed and or- ganised on a basis of united de- mocratic idealism and unselfish, conscientious devotion to a task that is greater than that of sav- ing our own skins."
race."
The following declaration has been 'of rendering this hemisphere sec- ing herself for defence and
The church constituency, issued by leading preachers inure against attack.
proffering wealth and supplies to cluding our own, has been for the America, including Dr. William
the nations now. struggling des- most part inert and ineffective. Adams Brown, Dr. Henry Hour Come For Decision perately to stem the tide, canWe have been willing to hide be- Sloane Coffin, Dr. Sherwood
America hope to keep war from hind the screen of nationality and Eddy, Dr. Lynn Harold Hough, "The hour has come when the the Western Hemisphere und neutrality where we Dr. John R. Mott, Dr. Reinhold American people
ought to must decide safeguard Liberty, justice and hon-have been assuming some attitude Niebuhr, Dr. Henry K. Sherrill, whether they are prepared to face our for all nations, including her- of plain and uncompromising soc- Dr. Henry P. Van Dusen, and the future in a position of virtual self;
ial and moral responsibility. isolation surrounded by powerful "Lastly we would urge the "It has, of course, been evident "In the European war ethical victors made strong, by practices action. This is the hour when police the world,' but a nation necessity of quick and resoluté that the United States could not issues are involved which claim destructive of American ideals or. the sympathy and support of whether they will lend to the democracy imust justify itself by with the power and prestige Their purpose, apart American Christians.
European nations, struggling des-risk destruction or disintegration. of force, could have done a great capacity for effective decision, or ours, apart altogether from the use from any wider implica-significance of the European con-threat, such support as may yet right decisions taken too late. Not and it will stand
"Fach day makes the deeper perately against the German Europe is dotted with ruins of deal more than we have done; tions of policy which may mict more inescapable.
enable them to halt that aggres-ja day can be spared."
to our lasting "1. A decisive German victory,
disgrace that during these years be drawn, is plainly to now an ominous possibility, would "However, more is at stake than
preceding the worst crisis that close the door finally to
world-wide humanity has ever menace not only democntic gov-national' self-interest. A German
known, we have supplied the.mat- any further side-stepping ernment but the most elemental victory would destroy the liberties
erials of destruction on securities and liberties for the of free peoples and subordinate "Few in this country will question scale to every one of the totali- a large of the evacuation, as, for peoples of the whole of Western all life under the rule of political Mr. Churchill's plain statement tarian Powers that were secking instance, by the method Europe. This is true not merely totalitarianism, would endanger that if Britain goes down Ame- to destroy democracy.
for Great Britain and France but every value embodied in westeri of booking through to a even more decisively for the peo-civilisation by the Christian faith
rican democracy will face the abyss," says 'Advance,' the or port beyond Hong Kong ples of the smaller nations. What and by humanistic culture.
gan of the Congregational Chur- has occurred in Finland, Denmark,
ches in America.
"It is a disgraceful record for which this nation, in seeking to in Poland
"It is not altogether creditable and ping off on arrival here.
Czechoslovakia, sibility for the conflict and that to the. American people or to our.
recover lost ground with the makes the issue transparent. The door, against suc- is the preservation of freedom for assure the establishment of jus- utterances have
It Allied victory would not of itself leaders that public sentiment and fest, should be in the mood of urgency that now seems mani- cess of such an attempt,life, for worship, for thought and tice and peace.
changed almost spiritual humiliation But we are com- exactly with the measure of the
and re has been double-locked, living for tens
the basic essentials for humane mitted to the realisation of a success of Germany's aggression
pentance. of millions of community of nations founded on and the accumulating for the individual con-citizens in progressive and peace-justice as the only firm hope for peril to ourselves.
Joving nations.. cerned is liable to
the peace of the world, and hold that the halting of Nazi ag- penalty and the ship and
If Germany Won
gression is a prerequisite to the ship's. agents or owners,
possibility of world order. "2. Both the interests and the choose between
"When men or to another. And the final
nations must idcals of the United States
two evils, the result, in any event, would imperilled!
are choice of the lesser evil
"The purpose of the American A decisive German Christian duty. That is the alter-honourable and laudable, but
becomes people to maintain peace has been be
the ignominious re-victory would leave the United native confronting the American has been neither
Shirts And Ethics States the only powerful de-
laudable nor shipment of the would-be mocratic nation in the world. This
honourable that we should have evader to the port of em-country would confront the con-
closed our eyes to the destruction great awakening," said Lady Glen "We are living in a period of tinents of Europe and Asia under
Resolute Action
of other lands and peoples barkation.
and Coats in a recent speech. the domination of ruthless tyran-
the destruction of human rights challenge has gone out of good "A Promulgation of the re-nies. There is some evidence that
Essential ·
and liberties that preceded the versus evil, and if we have the Nazi ambitions do not stop short
military onslaught. gulations at this particu-of Latin Amèrica..
courage to look at it in-that light, "In the light of these facts, we "We have raised voices of pro-life is a great and glorious adven- lar moment, when the
urge that the United States im- test, but they have been weakture: "German victory would render mediately enlist its moral Evacuation Representa- obsolete our accustomed concep-material resources in support
and and ineffective, and even here in "It has been said that demo" of our own country there has been cracy has failed; every code fails tion Committee is active-tion of America as a continent the Allied nations. Such assist- no aroused or adequate opposi- if we fail it. Men have put shirts secure in geographical isolation.ance, we believe, offers the best tion te Nazi and Fascist groups and the colour of those shirts ly preparing a programme It would doom this nation for a hope of avoiding either military which have been engaged for a against the Christian ethical liable to run counter to generation to a stupendous pro-involvement in this war or a later long time in stirring up racial and standard, But time cannot be
grumme of national preparedness single-handed Government policy, can in which virtually all interests, victorious encounter with religious prejudice and in carry- shackled or put into a concentra- totalitarian powers, ing cn campaigns against all that|tion camp. In that leg the hardly be accidental. On individual and social, would be east and west. Only by concen- is inest essential in American de- hope and future of the human
subordinated to the single purpose Itrating every effort upon prepar-mocracy. the contrary, it would seem to be invested with special significance, for it presents the clearest indication that the Gov- ernment, which is pursuits blackest I went out and bought in turn, slowly, and by surprise, not space to quote.
When the news was coming to of meaning: which are discovered, veyed in passages which I have His place is sometimes part- cularised, but not limited to orie ing a policy directed from some poetry, and deemed it a You may begin by liking a piece The writer, in his brief preface, stretch of country; he is as hap- London, is not at present bargain. Poetry, counted word by only, then, by continual acquain confesses that a sense of place or pily at large in his native Scot- word, costs more than prose. But tance, you become art addict. background is the touchstone of land as on the barrowy southern permitted to budge from then in poetry, if it be true poe Reading poetry is often like fall poetry to him. He claims that be chalk. Perhaps he is rather the stand that, in the pre-try, every word counts, whereasing in love at tenth siglit. cause of this "topographical pre-writer of time than of place, and in prose, even the best prose, the The books I chose were... - Mr. | dilection" he finds little pleasure the time that he describes with sent state of the world economy is not so taut. There is John Betjeman's "Old Lights for In the Elizabethans and less in the especial vividness is winter, our political situation, the usually a deal of detachable stuff. New Chancels" and Mr. Andrew poets of the seventeenth century. soft, grey, dripping, normal Bri- Imperial Government tion
Poetry as a war-time consola-Young's "Collected Poems." Mr. This is certainly to dismiss the tish winters and not the glittering
has other virtues besides Betjeman is a laughing poet, but kingdoms of the mind, the breed icicle parade of 1940. must be trusted to know brevity. Material compactness is he has the quality, unusual to-day, ing-ground of Shakespeare's fancy, He is happy to be a child of the
an aspect of the emotional what is best for this mental concentration
or of laughing with his subject and ¦ and the celestial grove of the mist in which things magically in poetry, nct against it; he laughs of what | Caroline metaphysicals in a sum blend or are distorted and enf Colony and from the and that is most useful to-day. he likes instead of sniffing at mary way. But as an assertion of larged.
For nearly everybody must now what he despises, viewpoint of
and he very the Importance of place in poetry :: general be living at his or her busiest, properly attacks the habit of it is important and to me sym-All else begone strategy in the conduct of with one or more voluntary la-thinking things "funny" because pathetic. For in verse, as in fiction, And leave me here alone
hours added to the usual round. you do not understand them or the background can be far more To tread this mist where earth Therefore immersion in long books feel superior about them, as smart than a frame; it can be the es-
and sky are one. can be left to those recovering people think suburbs and churches sence. from wounds or illness. The others to be funny. When Mr. Betjemav and it offers the only need the quickly apprehensible, writes, "I love suburbs and gas-a sense of place as well as of per- relish about rain and the glister
The more a novelist can give me He writes with quiet, perceptive reasonable explanation of light-handled, and easily pocketed lights and Pont Street and Gothic sons, the better I am pleased: Some ing drops on bare branches and of old dead Government's firm ad-
Revival churches and mineral rall-writers already too little remem- the antlered heads Short stories meet such a' need ways, provincial towns and Gar-bered, Mark Rutherford and Ar- trees and farm-carts carryŭig herence to an unpopular for the general. Poetry is not to den Cities" he is not being affect nold Bennett, had gerius for muck to naked fields and men course, about which there everybody's appetite, but if ever it ed: He finds a smiling pleasure in urban landscape which enormous-ploughing in the fog. Of course, he
be anyone's refuge and secret life these things. So when in
ly enhanced their study of the men cah hail spring with a lyric of has been no room for mis-surely it must be so now. The
and women who lived and sinned welcome, but he knows the pain understanding that with slenderness of the volume bear's Conlier country of Surrey apand childish
were
and can-of it for those who ripen fast. no relation to its bulk of content, the Empire fighting for since the essence of poetry, is to Through remarkable wrought iron state they drew se well. In poetry tankerous among the brick and its very existence, the abide, to be re-readable time and again with sparking and delight.” greatest good of the great- The best poetry, indeed, may only est number must be the reveal the fullness of its true consideration that finally cause it is obscure
quality at a tenth reading, not be- Pám, I 'adore you, you great' big or by St. Mary's Loch, on Crabbe's. But in general it seems that his
a mountainous sports girl. prevails. Government's puzzle,
the Whizzing them over the net full higher
of the strength of five; statement foreshadowing power, which is the poet's]; - the new regulations re-art, creates multitudinous shades. ferred specifically to fresh of significance and tints and glints preparing or us, satirisan lun out instructions from the now looks, the atmos- Secretary of State, requir-phere might well be clear- Over the redolent pinewoods, in ing or authorising the ed for the general good. One fine Saturday, Windlesham new entry restrictions. We cannot offer any bet- bells shall call
If, however, it be con- ter suggestion than that Un the Butterfield aisle, rich with
Gothic enlacement, ceded that the issues at Government should ex- Licensed now for embracement, stake are wider and more press its willingness to Thunders over you all.
Pam and I, as the organ vital than can possibly be arrange an interview at the grammar of the last line but be as love. His mood is refective: poetical escapes I was thankful discerned from Hong which the members of one is vac, and the whole is, if he is usually more wry in expres- and shall be so again. For, as I Kong's, narrow focal- the Evacuation Represen-you like to call it so, amusing, a slon than rapt in ecstasy. When said, a good poem may draw you point, and it is to loyalty, tation Committee would light rid on the Meredith coun- he takes you for a walk he gives slowly to its heart and ring its try. But it is also poetry, a raid | you an uncanny, sense of entering bells more surely to the practised which it has a right to be, as far as possible, not of the Comic Muse only for closer into the heart of a tree or car. If at first you are not cap- It has lich all Mr. Betjeman's a hillside than you have ever been tured there is always that chance expect, that Government taken into its confidence. writing a real sense of place con- botore.........
of love at tenth sight.
Time And Place And Poetry
the war.
The suggestion is
book.
like
but. because raising of words to
a
་་
proached
gates
he discovers à vision and cries.
'a
Is spring not, hard enough to bear
For
year?
one, at autumn of his
I find an equal delight in clear, strong, humorous topography. I want to know where I am, by Winander or in Shropshire, in Ayr
mind is a November garden, in and Cowper's levels or on the
which there are many beauties many-minstrelled Wolds and
'not only of decay-the lively roś Downs.
bin's breast, the iron serpents of Mr. Andrew Young, who was the beech tree's powerful branch,
for an epithalamium to Society of Literature and justly Ing rain. a destrable demi-goddess.
at the bathroom casement,
recently bemedalled by the Royal and the glassy beads of quicken-
commended to its members by That sort of background is not, Lord Crewe for the exactness of in Mr. Betjeman's sense, strictly his perception, has a genius for topographical. But Mr. Young's self-inmersion in the country winter is, in essence, a very real scene, Towns scarcely exist for place, a landscape and abiding him. Few poets seem to get closer refuge, into which, ha enfolds his rhapsodist of Nature, but a potan-us Mr. Betjeman can fold them to ist who knows what he is talking his sports girls in Surrey gardens. about no chattily sentimental or to his Berkshire downs with Friend of the Trees, but a man their leathery mch and feathery who spins his lyric with as much trees. For the provision of these
to the earth: Here is no vague renders like a flock, as certainly
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