1941-06-17 — Page 23

THE CHINA MAIL, JUNE 17, 1941.

CHINA MAIL

WINDSOR HOUSE

TOTAL OCCUPATION

Poland, which was the first state in Europe to feel the crushing weight of the Nazi militäry machine, is also the first to undergo the painful process of induction into the new order in Europe. The Polish people have been the laboratory in which Germany tried out and perfected all its methods for dealing with subject peoples. The Ger- man-occupied area of Poland is therefore im- portant as an example of what these peoples have to expect from German domination. Though news from Poland is in frequent, and comes largely through round- about channels or half told and censored stories in the German press, total occupation, like total war, is beginning to take on a definite pattern. Occu- pation by the Nazis, like attack by the German Army, is an all-out affair. The former life of the conquered country is blotted out. In its place are ghettos for the Jews, concentration camps and forced labour for loyal,

"HE WHO SUPS WITH THE DEVIL.”

Country In Peril

-

a

By

expense

а

of

We are, therefore, in great perll and we are faced with grave decisions upon which depends, not in some remote future time but now and immediately, the defence * of the Western Hemisphere. That the President realises this is evident from his statement which followed Marshal Petain's fateful tleclaration. That he has realised what was in the making has been evident for some time from his refusal to be drawn into the rela tively minor, and thoroughly con- fused, argument äbout convoys, from the fact that he proposes to make his next formal declaration of policy in the presence of the diplomatic representatives of the. in American republics.

BY WALTER LIPPMANN

of interest is not clearly apparent to; Poles, and bribes for those FOR the Americas the decisive vaded is no longer a matter

phase of the war has begun academic argument. With the all its people, the President has who follow the Nazi lead with Marshal Petain's announce French government at Martinique wisely stood by his commitment ment that France and the French and Guadeloupe and French not to become a belligerent in "a and turn against their colonial empire are to be put, re- Guiana the Axis now possesses an foreign war. But what confronts » fellows, while German gardless of what the French people outpost In

the Western Hemi- us now is not a foreign war, and may think, at the disposal of sphere. Nor is it any longer anot a British war, and not, let us minorities are a favoured Hitler. The French empire extends question for academic argument still hope, any total war. 'What race, apart from the rest. around the world from Martinique as to whether the Axis can confronts us is a threat which

to North Africa to The every-day patterns Madagascar to

Syria to threaten the Americas with what bears more directly upon our own Indo-China. It Mr. Hoover called the other night vital interests than upon those of of existence, the friendly occupies positions of the greatest "military aggression." When the Britain. For the defence of the in Axis is at Casablanca and Dakar, Western Hemisphere is first, last relationships between in- importance in the Caribbean,

the Atlantic Ocean, in the Mediter- the base for the aggression will and always an American problem dividuals, the pride in ranean, in the Red Sea, in the have been established, and with -as even the blindest among us Indian Ocean, and in the Pacife. what is now inevitably bound to ought to realise if they would country and in tradition

Until 1 year ago the French follow as regards Spain and For-pause to consider how easily are being ruthlessly des- empire, with its strategic positions, tugal and their islands far out into British Petain could collaborate

the was a strong and active factor in the Atlantic, the question of the with Hitler at troyed, and in their place the defence and the security of all defence of the Western Hemi-Latin-America. come the rule of force and the oceans and of the two Ameri-sphere is posed directly and imme-

eas which lie in the midst of the diately. terror, the plot and coun-|

eccans, Until Marshal Petain terplot which ends either accepted the Darlan Hitler The United States is now in grave

empire peril. It is with bombing and revolt negotiations the French

not the imaginary was for the most part ht least peril, which our misguided isola- on the one hand, or a fir-passive and neutral. ing squad on the other. Now it is to be incorporated into The German newspapers the war-making machine of the tell of the construction of with the delivery of Syria as

Axis, beginning, it would appear. new buildings, theatres, base for the invasion of the Mos- barracks for the German lem world. What is to be done in the Far East has already been occupation forces, post-prepared these many months: offices, roads, railroads, with Japan for the domination of French Indo-China is to be joined

draining of land, and the the South Pacific-Singapore, establishment of "order" Malay, the Netherlands Indies, tionists harp upon, of being invol Australia, and the Philippines. on the German pattern. what is to be done in the Atlantic ved in a bloody

No matter how far they and in the Western Hemisphere Europe. It is the real peril

What he has not fully realised the strategic has just been disclosed in the, being stripped of

the go in their methods of "Temps," the official organ of positions which are vital to our considering the gravity of

defence. The peril is so real and situation, is how necessary it is to defences and repression, however, the Vichy, when it speaks

geographical position" of the So actual that it seems inconceiv- fortify Germans are unlikely to French empire "facing the con-able that the government will not strengthen the confidence of the do more than heighten tinents of the Western Hemi- make it plain or that the people people by passing from business as usual, labour as usual, old incom- sphere."

petent friends as usual, and the feeling of racial con- sciousness among the The Vichy surrender is describ- For with what has now develop-politics as usual, to a state of full emergency Whatever, the actions Poles. Tens of thousands ed by the German foreign ministryed the question before us is to required by the events, they will in Berlin as, a blow to the United longer whether we shall engage be supported with confidence only of Poles have lived in exile States. It is a blow to the United ourselves a little more or a little if they are clearly explained and or died fighting for in- States. From the point of view of less in a semi-philanthropic, sen- only if the nation is convinced that the American republics, it is by all timentally, idealistic crusade to aid the effort at home is equal to the dependence before the odds the most serious development Britain. The question before us is risks and the dangers which World War, and the his- of the war. It is in fact the most the question which confronted threaten it from abroad.

before the Louisiana serious threat to the independ- Jefferson

Purchase, .confronted Monroe tory of repression in ence and security of the Western

was planting to. Hemisphere that has occurred when Europe Europe has always been since Napoleon III invaded Mexico conquer Latin-America, confront can people is not iné. words, but that eventually it brought on the eve of the Civil War. For ed Lincoln when Louis Napoleontion of their own vital interests. bitter retribution to the by the action of the Vichy govern-invaded Mexico. It is the plain Anti what will put an end to the ment Hitler, hitherto confined to question of American security, of disputes, the delays, the confusion; country that practiced it. what, Col. Lindbergh has been whether this hemisphere is to be and the indiscipline to the hesita- For total occupation, like pleased to call an intra-European opened to the Axis powers, and of tions of business men, the strikes war, is now facing the continents how the independence of the of the workers, the shilly-shally- total warfare, is some-of the Western Hemisphere." American republics is to be de-ing with priorities, taxes, and inflation, and to the partisan thing which may win vic-Every French officer who adheres to Vichy, every French diplomat

politics, is a declaration of emer- tories, but it stirs up such who adheres to Vichy, and every Until now there has been ground gency-long overdue and fully great hatreds that there gun, ship and aeroplane they can for argument as to how far the warranted by the situation-under

command, is now under the orders support of Britain is a vital inter, which it will then be the para is' no way back for of the Axis.

est of the United States, and on mount duty of every person to it the sound principle that the reinforcement of American nations who have once The question of whether the democracy must not engage Itself power ahead of every other con- adopted it as a policy, Western Hemisphere can be in- completely where its own vital sideration.

"the of

land war

can fail to realise it.

fended."

of

our

own

For what will unite the Ameri-

a clear and indisputable realisa-