CO129-581-16 British propaganda in Hong Kong 18-4-1939 - 29-10-1939 — Page 26

CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案 All

26

M 710

A determined People.

The Mind of Britain.

By Joseph Martin.

Whatever may be the ultimate outcome of the present inter-

national complications and conflicts, the whole world may rest assured that the British peoples have now definitely decided to make a stand against the threat of power politics and the menace to

human freedom. The thought of war is hateful to every British man

and woman. No-one desires a trial of armed force with Germany or

with any other nation; but no single person in Britain will shrink from waging war to the end if such a fate should be forced upon them.

For twenty years Britain has striven to establish peace and to

outlaw war,

She has failed. In certain countries war is no longer

looked upon as dire calamity, but is extolled as a desirable thing in itself. In countries where such a doctrine is preached, the principles of liberty of thought and expression are derided and denied. A policy is adopted of suppression of all individual free- dom, demanding a blind obedience to the few who have seized power

Britain believes in and who wield it in the name of the State.

ordered progress

on democratic lines. "We have staked our all on

"That is our con freedom", said Lord Baldwin a year or two ago.

tribution to the world: that is our witness to ordered freedom".

For freedom the British people will fight to a finish.

should be understood by all who mutter about Danzig

That

or any other

Great Britain is

town, district or country not being worth a war. not prepared to risk untold wealth and millions of lives on Danzig; she is prepared to risk everything to retain the decencies of inter- national behaviour and to fight against any power which seeks to impose its will upon and to dominate weaker neighbours by brute

force.

The Dritish people believe in the principle enunciated by the "Do thy duty of great American, Emerson, nearly eighty years ago. the day. Just now the supreme public duty of all thinking men is to

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