THE CHINA MAIL, APRIL 28, 1941.
CHINA MAIL
--WINDSOR HOUSE
HITLER AND STALIN
Amid the crash of Ger- man bombs, the pacific phrases of Russia's pact with Yugoslavia sounded thin and unreal. They lacked the dramatic im- pact of the revolutionary agreement between the! Soviet government and its arch foe in Berlin which touched off the hor- rors that the world has experienced during the last nineteen months and. viewed in the light of the Kremlin's tortuous diplo- macy, will doubtless be subjected to many diver- gent interpretations. Yet it is impossible to avoid the conclusion that Com-» rade Stalin and Ger-1 many's Fuchrer have all. last come to the parting of the ways.
The deterioration of Russo-German relations has been progressive, al- though the progression has not been either order-
ly or clear. Certainly, down to the fall of France. there was every surface
Easter
NAFISM
—AND ALL HIS WORKS
The Plain Answer
We should
this
indication of complete FOR reasons which are obvious and Dutch empires will not only not had the foresight to make the American Cabinet officials could be lost to American defence, but arrangements to continue the re- | agreement between not discuss the most searching Moscow and Berlin. The question raised by opponents of will be turned around and turned,sistance from Africa.
the lend-tease bill. The question against us. complete success of Gers where the United States would
be lunatics to make the same mis- many's campaign
And itself if in the coming months on
The idea is so repulsive that the
take to carry British resistance in the British | strongest among us will the western front, follow-Isles is overwhelmed.
our partisan sus- shrink [picion of Mr. Roosevelt tu the A respon from facing it. ing on Russia's difficulties sible official could not answer that
But it must be point where we renounced Finland, apparently ing military information of
question publicly without disclos-faced. The events in France since unique opportunity 10 reinsure
the the French defeat should by this mur own security. produced the first serious highest importance. doubts in Stalin's mind as
time have made the most compla- Although responsible offcials vent realise that when an ally is to the wisdom of his great cannot discuss this question, it is defeated, he does not merely cease diplomatic stroke.
certain that they must consider it.] to exist. That is why it is so in- For adopting the policy ut aid-perative not merely to and Britain ing Britain, the American govern- but to have all possible means of made we know, and not merely That such arrangements can be The original agreementment would be lacking in states-entering into practical between Russia and Germanship if it did not know what ments with Britain for all possible
in
But while officials cannot
many provided that the failed.
it was going to do if the policy eventualities. two governments "will talk about these things, there is in constantly remain in con-rest of us cannot readily compre- substance no mystery which the, sultation with one
an- hend
other in order to informi each other regarding questions of common in-
* **
terest." Russia blandly This is a horrid subject to dis- informed the world that cuss
But there is something she was not surprised by nocence
positively terrifying about the in- and unworldiness with the Axis pact which Ger- which many public men, who quite sincerely wish to aid Britain, have
many, Italy and Japan failed to grasp. signed, for example, be-
stake also, should Britain fall, the In the last analysis, there is at dire possibility that the whole vast power of the British and French
cause she had heard of it merely aid to Britain in the sense! For there is at stake here not in advance. But she de-of supplying the British resistance. nied that she had been consulted over Hungary's adherence to the pact; she denied that she had been informed in advance of would seem evident that Germany's "mission of in- Stalin's fear of Hitler is struction" in Rumania
F
*
**
Q
✡
Arrange- because we have the explicit
When the opponents of the bill were testifying before the House Committee, Col. Lindbergh said that help to Britain would not be
By Walter Lippmann
promise of the British govern- ment. That promise is worth A good deal but what gives it its tinal validity is the fact that it is underwritten by the situation it- self. Marshal Petain has learned that he could not obtain, as he from hoped, a chivalrous peace Hitler, and in so far as he has any power to bargain with Hitler, it is because the French Empire is be- yond Hitler's reach and the British resistance continues und American aid increases. The only protection of the French inside France is the unbroken force of Hitler's enemies outside of France.
Were the British Isles to be in- vaded or otherwise overwhelmed, the hope of the people in the Islands would depend upon the
effective. However much we may in some measure
British Empire overseas and the United States. This would still hope he is mistaken, we dare not against complete stavery to Hitler's protect them leave out of account the possibility undisputed power. that he may be right.
Nothing else Then Pre- could protect them at all, nothing sident Hoover's Under-Secretary else could mitigate said this bill would make the Pre-puted master of the British Isles of State, Mr. William R. Castle, What Hitler would do as undis- their fate.
matters, British as well as Ameri-done in isolated Poland where. sident "supreme in all military can be imagined from what he has can." Supposing that Mr. Castle being beyond the reach' of seu
tion, would it be an objection to
The farther Germany pro- great enough to prevent were right, suppose that he were power of air power, he is undis; gressed in the Balkans, war between the two for not indulging in great exaggera-puted master. apparently, and the closer the time being. Russia this bill that in case Col. Lind- she approached to the may,
Terrible as it would be to make bergh's defeatism is proved cor- the decision, Britain would, if the however, furnish rect, the President of the United worst came, have to do the oppo- Dardanelles, the poorer material aid to Turkey, if States would have a powerful hold site of what Marshal Petain did: the liaison between Hitler she has any to spare. And the British fleet, for example on seas and continue to resist. But on British "military matters," on they would have to retreat over-- and Stalin, became. By surely the Russian threat British bases, on the Royal Air unless the arrangements had been the time that Bulgaria must..contain many Ger- tish Empire? What would not the tion might not be feasible.
Force scattered all over the Bri-made in advance, this great opera- was to be sacrificed, Rus- man. divisions which British people give to-day if Mr. sia had become aroused to might otherwise the point of making a employed in active fight-sevelt could have, but ought not to strong protest. to Bul- ing; surely Hitler, must have, over the British forces? garia, and after the fact. have the uneasy feel-
Agreements of friendship ing that one
で
Churchill had had a hold on the be French forces similar to that Mr. Castle thinks Mr. Roo-
If
of a
as
*
*
Is it necessary to argue that they would be of vital importance a result serious aid to Britain, in
of our to this country? Is there any one with Turkey and with reverse may bring upon arrangements exist by
the event in his right mind who thinks it of defeat in Europe, the no consequence to us whether the Yugoslavia before those his head the Soviet we can salvage the better part of warships than we can build in ten which Axis acquires by conquest more countries were attacked Army. His Balkan cam- the fleet and the merchant marine years? were a logical next step, paign has opened one clusive, When France was de- ocean navy and yet does not seu and much else beside, that is conCongress who voted for the two- Is there a member of And beyond? No one can front; it may easily open feated in France, the collapse was that his vote was a tragle farce it prophesy, of course, but it another.
complete because M. Reynaud and the British fleet is captured by the Chamberlain government had the Axfet
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