1941-09-03 — Page 23

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THE CHINA MAIL, SEPTEMBER 3, 1941.

CHINA MAIL

WINDSOR HOUSE

ANOTHER YEAR

In accordance with the wishes of His Majesty the King; next Sunday, as the first to follow to-day's an- niversary of the outbreak of war, is to be observed as a Day of National Pray- er and Thanksgiving. It is fitting that this should be so for if the task that lies ahead is likely to be long and arduous, calling for every capacity of en- durance, in perils and pit- falls that have been sur- mounted there is much to be thankful for.

We e.iter upon the third year of the war in a far more comfortable posi- tion than the most opti- mistic observer could have! predicted in September, 1940. The Battle of Brit- ain had not then reached its pinnacle of ferocity. By the end of October the R.A.F. had triumphantly conquered. Hitler's New Year boast that "1941 will bring consummation of the greatest victory in our to-day

Toberan

THE BLITZ BOYS – THAT WERE"!

history" sounds to day The Welsh Stand Fast

came

"WELL, that's the end of Ben Welsh

Evans's." The speaker was u welsh woman in the centre of a small crowd looking at the ruins of what had been one of the best- known stores in Swansea.

This

Hence,

is heard on its

when the

streets.

Germans de- stroyed the centre of Swansea they struck at a memorable place in Welsh life. Great as was the damage, it has not diminished the determination of the local people to carry on.

Miners

"Federation.

like prattling of а paranoic. He has had his further victories in bat-

Discussion tle. The Libyan Desert has

quickly turned to the war issue, and it soon became apparent that been recovered, Greece

not about and Yugoslavia have been

they were uncertain, the justification for the war, but conflict ends. whether when the overrun, Crete

to

social readjust- the promises of "Yes, indeed it's bad," said an-

ments will be honoured. shock the British people

other. "Twas there I had my first

National life in Wales is not as once more to the painful shop-made dress as a little girl. As at Swansea, so at Cardiff,

seriously af-sharply divided into planes of slowness of the democra- What a pity! But never mind. Let the raids have not

us be thankful it wasn't some-fected the general life of the social status as in England, so the tic method in mobilising thing more important."

people. "Lumme, we won't get opinion of the common people any grub there to-day," was the playspa, greater role in the forma its effort. Despite these

comment from a thankfulness only

group tion of national sentiment. Nor do feeling of

studied the de-the Welsh people suffer from lack heavy setbacks, Britain's that things are not quite as bad which recently position in the Middle as they might be was prevalent struction of the 30pular Carlton of expression. Their viewpoint is As Celts their Nor have easily obtained. East has been enormously among the Swansea population as Cafe in Queen Street.

it strolled idly through the de- these raids greatly diminished the emotional nature allows them to Wales to wander, to heights and depths strengthened in the last bris-strewn streets, commenting contribution of South

generally avoided by the Anglo- on the havoc wrought. The mid-

Saxon. twelve months. Two great ale of this town has been turned Italian armies have dis- into a desert, with charred walls integrated, dangerous de-standing amid the wreckage of been prosperous velopments in Iraq, Syria business houses, shops, offices, Swansea's and Iran have been swift- homes, and schools.

market, a favourite landmark to ly dealt with and convert-cartier generations, was the centre ed to our enormous ad-of this devastation. vantage. The crucial turn- ing-point came when Hit--the heart of the Welsh-speaking the national emergency.

Cardiff Is cosmo- production still continues at full ler swung away from the Welshman.

politan-"not really Welsh, some-pressure, smáke: pours forth from doubtful prospect of a how arid unless spoken by factory chimneys, stores are full successful invasion of the "people from the valleys" little of customers; and on the near by British Isles to launch a

what once had

Cardiff is a finer city than Swansea, but Swansea is nearer to

By J. Emlyn Williams

Calr-it immature judgment if im- you will, but to both the gerially minded Welshmen, and those less ready to compromise; there appeared to be more ex- pediency than morality in the British official attitude which led, .to

young war. A well-known Welshman told me in.North Wales recently that: "Appeasement was Warso purely English, so contrary to Welsh tradition, that it made us despair."

There is a divergence of Lout- look in Wales, however, that is waters of the Bristol Charmel ships unknown in England, there being small and big still wend their three different types of peoplez way to ports in Devon or to the those who are Welsh in sentiment vicious assault upon Sov: hold of the conqueror not end of the earth.

Land language, those who are iet Russia. In the ten

Welsh in sentiment but English in weeks since, the Red Army Countries and Norway, sical damage is the most scricus only on France, the Low

It is no exaggeration, to say, that language, and those who are Eng- neither physical danger nor phylish in sentiment and language. has inflicted tremendous

but also on older and more preoccupation of South Wales to- Many evacuee children have losses upon the Hitler war sullen captives (like the day. These conditions are taken been sent to Wales from London machine, and the speed Czechs and Poles. He must modern totalitarian, warfare. Of land. Where they have been as the expected accompaniment of and other bombed areas in Eng-

under Government. with which Mr. Churchill be aware that he has ac-greater concern has been the un- evacuated

employment of coal miners when schemes the schools continue with Un- pronounced Britain's

complished nothing eXthere has been a great outcry for their curricula as before. active support of Russia,

Unemployment with ap-official evacuees accommodate parently little justification ex- themselves to local conditions, and with which the Unit-cept to convert Europe coal.

into a vast prison house cept lack of co-ordination among and in many areas the Welsh ed States and all the filled with fear and hate Government departments, and the language is either the language business enterprises concerned of instruction or a subject in the allies engaged in the war

and hunger. Now he sees has brought more exasperation syllabus. Some of the newcomers quickly learn the Welsh language against the Nazi tyranny

year looming than Nazi bombs.

and take part in the children's endorsed that bold realis- another

ahead, and on his table a Apart from the question of air cisteddfod (music festivals). tic decision, has brought plan with a shattered also that question of the attitude ditions to almost every good- bombardment in Wales, there is Evacuees are now important ad- for Hitler a dark and time table. At the door of of Welshmen toward war in sized Welsh community, and the heavy prospect which the new year stand a re-affers little from the English both visitors and hosts.

general. In the main this attitude effects are proving benefloial to nothing can hide.

juvenated Britain and a man's Differences in outlook.on

this or that aspect of the war Apart from Cardiff and Swan- It would be interesting United States which is exist among the inhabitants of sen, few parts of Wales have been to know the thoughts hid-gearing industry to an Cardiff, or Carnarvon, or Lan-damaged by air raids. But come fair as they do among the people what may, Wales's determination den in the mind of that output of war machines of London, or Newcastle, or Chip is as resolute as England's that bad man" as he looks that will ultimately crush ping Norton. Regarding the war this struggle against barbarous

Issue Itself, similar uncertain tyranny anall not end until vic back and forward the the Nazi juggernaut by sentiments all the thoughts of has whatever door of another year. If sheer weight of numbers; some worlts in Wales, aniin Eng-tory is between Wingland he revels in his military if it does not split wide land, or in Scotland, and the and Wales (and liey are greater same kind of extrymists exist in than many people imagine them achievements, he must be open earlier as a result of all these places to be) they fade into insignificance, aware that force alone its own integral rotten-Inn Cardiff onfe the writer.rg for the average Welshman when cently met some old acquaintances; Britain and human values are: at members maintains the precariousness.

of the South Wales stake.