1941-07-31 — Page 39

THE CHINA MAIL, JULY 31, 1941.

CHINA MAIL

WINDSOR HOUSE

BEHIND THE FRONTS

an

The first wave of the Nazi attack on Russia is spent, and as the second phase develops in a fog of heavy silence on the Ger- man side it is perceived that there are three main 'fronts in this sinuous struggle, unfolding like a colossal cobra from Mur- mansk to Kishin e v. The first is only imaginary line traced between three or four! widely separated points, which the blitzkrieg barely touched as it broke against the outer de fences of the Stalin Line. Apparently the Russians have held these forward thrusts and made coun- ter-thrusts of their own, resorting to stratagems and tricks, the injured Germans complain, to draw the innocent in- vaders on and stab them in the back.

Behind these thin spearheads, in a vast field including a segment ΟΙ Russia proper and all the territory the Soviets acquired in the deal with Hitler, great battles are still being fought. Here,

troops. This

and

JOINING UP FOR VICTORY.

Why Britain Cannot

Be Defeated

But with the civilian it is dif-

By Centurion

fought out and fought out it will be, to the end."

We naturally inquire then why are all these civilian types and many more besides "proud" of being brought into the arena of warfare, from which normally they would shrink.

They know that they could never accept the alternatives which defeat would impose upon them, and therefore given the leadership which, the circum- stances demand, they have as Mr. Churchill says, shown a certain pride in the measure of the self- surrender that they have been called upon

their to make for country's sake. Doubtless the

in the "rear" that is the Whether a civilian wants his, his lack of training; but that he most active front, Rus-country involved in a war or not should prove his ability to carry does not necessarily afford clear on with his own job and maintain sians and Germans say indication of how he will con- | his equilibrium in circumstances Partly no doubt it arises from they have trapped hui- duct himself, being in it.

of more than ordinary difficulty | an almost religious conviction dreds of

To the soldier, of course, war

is of the utmost importance. The that the cause for which thousands

their 01

may come as a welcome relief to civilian in Britain to-day is well country contends is one in which second the monotonous exercises of peace aware of all this. His knows that every citizen has a vital stake, front is of

time, so that he girds himself for in times of peace the wheels of The British Empire, they feel, is many the task with a certain grim satis- industry are highly lubricated, not the arbitrary dictate of a sectors, of armies push- faction. He may not believe in and everything conceivable is single individual. It has grown,

to facilitate and ing forward

expedite or evolved itself out of the com- the value of war very much, but done sag. on the other hand, he is a mem-

the normal processes of trade in- mon sense and the good nature ging back in a grand con- ber of a profession that regards volved in the production and in- of the English people, who have

a science and he terchange of commodities; fusion of perpetual and the subject as

but always preferred committees to knows that the many theories he that in time of war innumerable dictators, elections to street fight- often unrelated move has studied will have to be test-

obstacles begin to appear and the ing, and well-regulated debate ments. In all these far. ed sooner or later. Therefore, he resulting friction may cause the to revolutionary tribunals.

has little doubt that he will give wheels to rotate very stiffly, if flung engagements, in- a good account of himself as be- calculably costly on both is a soldier and a patriot. sides, there is as yet no ferent. When war breaks out, he clear decision, but the knows he is bound to see much Germans do not conceal that he has striven for in the way of improvement, both in produc- their disquiet at the unex- tion methods and the social con- the workers swept pected strength of the Reddition of

ruthlessly away, Increasing costs not to stop altogether. Transporta- same phenomenon would appear Army's resistance and the are going to bring about a lower tion, too, is of vital importance to in all countries where democra quantity and quality of standard of living, transportation the whole community and noth tic institutions have

and other facilities will be great- ing which is not absolutely neces~ regarded as the only true way of} come to be! its equipment. Hitler y restricted, the younger and sary tu the well-being of the life. made a desperate gamble more promising members of the nation as a whole should be allow-

staff will be called up for mili-ed to slow down the wheels. on the crack-up of Soviet tary service, nd profit will be This applies also to cultural power. He seems to have taxed almost to vanishing point. activities such as music, art, drama

He will not have the satisfaction and literature which failed to evaluate a force of wearing

give em- a military uniform ployment to a great many, and older than communism, and no one will acclaim him as which

It may be true to say that the to some people are as British people are the saviour of his country.

necessary as the air they breathe, in the ordinary

not religious more instinctive than the

That is how the civilian's out- All these things are the veritable but it certainly is true that there accepted sense, cuit of Stalin-the at- look may normally be summed life blood of the nation and while never has been an age in which

the heart of the nation may, in tachment of the peasant up, but to-day it is different.

more people To-day in England the civiliantime

struggling, of war, be the principal with varying success, to live up masses to "Mother finds himself in the line with the concern of the Army, the circula- to the highest ideals that are in

though he tion of Russia," the incoherent soldier, and shocked

the blood and the free them, and to try and better the may be at what he would nor- exercise of its normal function conditions of the people among but cohesive force of Rus-mally consider an outrage, he is very much the concern of the whom they live. sian patriotism?

nevertheless feels that in this civilian. It is, therefore, a matter Many of these people hardly "total war" his status as a of great interest and importance think of themselves as Christian, A third front lies be- patriotic citizen has taken on a to observe the conduct of the and yet they have accepted the hind both lines. Stalin much more imposing aspect than civilian and to see how he le Christian character as their model, in the past. He no longer plays shouldering these opportunities because in the long run it is the mentioned it when he the part of the timid and shrink of maintaining the national cer- only model that defines and sus "made a reference

in ing noncombatant, but accepts the vices under the severe strain of tains to the full the democratic

new call that is being made upon total war. his broadcast to "diver him without hesitation, and even sionists in the rear with a certain amount of pride. He sees the menace to the free Hitler recognised it for institutions and to all the tradi the first time in his torch has striven and he tions and customs and socleties; war proclamation when realises that he can, and must play he accused the Com- his part in their defence.

His value to his country lles munists of working to un- not in any latent, milltary zeal dermine the Third Reich that he may possess because of from within, and reports ---

Cause A Vital One

"All our crowds have been

Christian Model Accepted

ideal of life.

were

How then are the British peo- ple in all the different walks of life, reacting to the stress and strain of total: warfare brought

right up to their very hearth- stones?

proud of being under fire of the enemy," said the Prime Minister of Great Britain in a recent radio- An unexpectedly fitting answer cast, old men, little children, the may be found in the words of a crippled, the veterans of former cockney charwoman who when wars, aged women, and the asked if the people in her neigh- ordinary hard-pressed citizen or bourhood, which had been severe- subject of the King, as he likes ly bombed, had been upset by it to call himself, the sturdy work-replied, "Oh, no, they took it all from Germany relayed party. In the long run, man who swings hammer or loads in good part." But of course the through Stockholm tell however, it can only ex-a ship, the skillful craftsmen, the Englishman does not Ulke being of widespread arrests of aggerate the sharp drop service, are proud to feel that feels that his material well-being Sected

Communists in German morale since they stand in the line together must now be subordinated to high-| with our fighting men when one er considerations and he tries to extending to the Nazi the Russian invasion. of the greatest causes is being make, the best of

members of every kind of A.R.P.|bombed; who would? - He Just