1941-03-14 — Page 23

CHINA MAIL

THE CHINA MAIL, MARCH 14, 1941.

MAGNA CARTA for WORLD FREEDOMS

FREEDOM

SECURITY

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 AI- 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 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

Lend

and Lease Act

TOLETTANCE

What HAVE We Done To Deserve This?

Encourage The Conquered

Mussolini has been dealt two vital

blows in Albania and Africa. And

of Axis invincibility and On any showing, it is clear that Italy is now no more than a partner reduced to the level of а defeated France.

the degree to which his regime is a personal one, weak in its foun- dations, dependent for its endur-i

continued success, is ance upon shown by

results of those dismisses the

the

causes

sational

out by revenge,

It is too

for

early to regard the combination of these victories as a decisive blow in the main cam- paign. We must not judge until

What estimate

the necessity upon Mustulim's survival, what steps,

we

see

uf

By

Harold J.Laski

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.

nor

in Czechoslovakia, neither in Holland nor in Norway, "Lew European order"

Page T

Now For Victory

A tremendous change has come ever Britain. it has become R land of smiling faces. That strain- ed look which the sort of "morning after" sign of a night of air raids, has gone. No longer do you hear the people talk of their borbs as they go to their work, or of the prospects of the night. as they go home in the evening. The tal now is of victory, Br- tain is walking out of the valley of the shadow of death into the dawn of a new day, Hope has given way to complete confidence There is no doubt about the end now, it. the minds of any men.

1 you want to measure the real determmation of the people, The place to see is in one of the bombed towns There you sudden- ly realize the quality that make the Brish Emp C-bulders, T harder you hit them, the tougher they become You feel when you

By John Gordon

meet them as the King felt when talking to a 17 at Bristol, et the rubble heap that only a few hours before had been that man's

1. home, he suddenly said to "Give Bu your hand 1 glory m your pluck.

also

The women are just as marvel- lous as the men. On the same day, standing on the top of a nearby heap of ruins, which had bren a happy home, the King met and talked to il young woman, who had a nine weeks old baby har That woman, in her arms. 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 heap of rums, she was as happy and cheerful as it the King had come to pay her a peace-time visit.

of disasters.

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- ever, with no guards except a few air raid workers and a police- But preparation for it is urgent.

man. People press round him and shake his hand. They discuss their The more We can hammer at Mussolini, the more we

losses and they share their con- can un- Nine months after en- į blows. First,

regime, the more tidences with him. He has done a dermine his

tremendous job without fuss, and tering a war which seem-chiefs of the fighting services, the

In the more moderate estimate. we shall arouse hopes of libera- blame for failure must rest any choic It is sale to say two tion in the conquered countries of without sparing himself. He has become one with his people, in a ed to be all over, except where but upon Mussolini hum-¦ things. The Kalian defeats in Europe; and the more we arouse for the division of these. Then his journalistic thugs. Europe and Africa, combined with these, the more dificult will be way that would rever 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

He has made mon- а blame the defeatist spirit of un-

strength, compc, au Axis reassess. len acquiesence can very quickly

archy worth while, In an age persons for what strange paradox, is now anned

is a mynt at its whole position. Because become active opposition once it

when thrones are toppling he has crisis in the regime itself. in about the same

It is Dictators live by

made his more secure than ever, rela-

prestige, some is given the material of hope; and typical that they should ask for a striking measure will have to be it is important that neither in

broad-based not on authority, but tion to Hitler as Marshalpurge. A dietator can never serkleinverted for its revival,

If it is Poland

on the affection of his peuple. Petain or General Anton-

lure; he attempted, it will have to be un- must always attempt to blot dertaken by Hitler, since all Mus- has the

An air raid brings all sorts of escu.

| solini's energies are absorbed in made any psychological headway.problems. One of them that seems people remain the to affect the sentimental British trying to arrest disaster. On this These brave Bulgaria,

against him once people much more than even the Italy and

basis, his reduction to the post-basis of revolt tion of a very junior partner in the possibilities of success appear loss of their homes, is the bomb- France are to-day all pri-

the Axis is certain; for everyone actual; and nothing will do more ing out of their pet cats and dogs, organisation for those A tremendous voluntary organi- soners of Germany's con-

knows that Hitler never gives to make

effective than the sation

with works side by side And the possibilities quest of the Continent.

something for nothing. Hitler

the Civil defence services to look more Mussolini is compelled to news that the legend of Axis in- Despite Il Duce's appeal places

after animals in air raids. It is take, the greater will be his unfallibility has been shattered."

the sort of organisation you can to the Italians, urging therefore, he is prepared to tal

his own people. popularity with He has shown himself up at the It is the lesson that the more hardly imagine in any other coun- that it will all come right!m his support.

first real test of his efficiency, He just the great society, the more try than Britain.

its foundations, in the end, the debacle in

has been defeated at a stage. where unbreakable are Africa and the ineptitude

upon the recognition that all men these events are profound. The his hands.

Chave an equal blaim upon the cat is that the

dog runs as far in Albania shatter any prestige of the Axis powers has

Those away from the noise as he can the wanted very seriously. They are There is a real chance that the common stock of welfare.

Usually he runs until he hope that, whatever

not only seen to be vulnerable, very existence of his regime may who realise this have in their get. 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 for a day to gain anything out of compare the

Rumania, months; and, no doubt, the impactments of defence in the modern other hand, vanishes

then turns up again among the which accepted Axis protection, of his failure on Hitler's own posi- world. Those who can be accused the war.

with that of Greece, which re-tion will be important. But of failing to realise it lay them-ruins. Because of this homing in- an attack which, stinct, Ave times as many cats as 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. from the implications are grasped, may be For human beings the problem give added interest to the ment in Spain, in Yugoslavia, of dictatorship differs

The British power. Turkish confidence Italian frst because it is supreme of disastrous proportions. recent conversations be- in Britain will be even more ly well organised, and, second, musses in Germany went to Hitler of what to do when your house is d'estroyed is much inore simple. Soviet Union because it has great victories to because he promised relief from All round the great towns now tween General Franco and strengthened. The

may recover some of its couragetits credit. I do not believe that unemployment and the recovery there are a ring of rest centres to Mussolini and General too much of its policy has been these blows at Mussolini will be of their respect. He betrayed which, homeless people, both 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 tain. It is becoming more strength,, I do not think it is even Germany. These have shown no ery

and war.

made the and the opportunity to rest. Those last-six years workers of Great Britain see that who can afford to do so, mostly and more obvious that too much to say that the effect on real signs in the

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 the partner, the conquer-found. Considerable upon the that they will find the momentum our "religion of inequality" rather who can help, nor money to help

menace he themselves, are billcited cut. ed and the neutral-are are signs of .on awakening in stimulated by the proof that Hit- symbolises. But they know as Here and there one finds diffl- 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 and a growing sense that its hopes sense. We here, of course, are architects of victory; and they found, but they are few, Britain 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 a way of escape. estimated Italian power,

act as nn anti-Hitler dynamic ing of the Fascist yoke.

social history is opening.

It has been discovered that th

Stll, the joint consequences of fhe held most of the main yards in arki that just foundations depend difference between a dog and a

Axis,

fate of

He

the Arst because, at long last, there of organisation until they are than yield to