1941-02-15 — Page 12

10

O

Saturday,

HONGKONG TELEGRAPH

February 15, 1941.

WHY WE MUST

MUSSOLINI

SMASH

N the day when Mussolini launch-

ed his war on Abyssinia in 1935, David Low published an his- toric cartoon. It showed a witch's cauldron, see- thing above the flames of Hell, with a Satanic Mussolini standing be- side it, a leer of hideous triumph on his face.

By:

PHILIP NOEL-BAKER, M.P.,

who here demolishes, the arguments of those misguided people who are still advocating that we should attack Mussolini with pro- mises and bribes rather than with weapons of war.

And, even since he went to war, their whispers have gone

on.

It bore the simple title: "The man who say, In the took the lid off."

on

rulers.

that Fascism was the only al- ternative in Italy to the "Com munism". on which Mussolini was at that time waging war.

They shut their eyes to the patent fact, proclaimed by Mussolini in every speech he made about the exploits of his bombing planes in Spain, that the new vision" he had given his people was a vision of anar- chic butchery, of which Guer- nica gave us only a first, pale flickering view.

were pre-

They deliberately forgot that Even before his first dastard- ly adventure at Corfu, Mussolini on the battlefields of Spain-as in Abyssinia, and now again in meant to make an "Empire."

the mountains of Albania-hig He meant to make it by Blackshirts had shown that they It would be unwise, they

Press or in our treachery and violence, and at were much less virile than their broadcasts, to make "a fulse our expense,

democratie fathers had been on between discrimination"

the His oft-repeated boasts that the Osonzo and the Carso a Mussolini is the man Italian people and their present the Mediterranean was "Mare quarter of a century ago.

Nostram" could have other Above all, those who preached who, by his wars

the Stresa doctrine We must recognise the meaning.

For a time he quarrelled with pared to sell to Mussolini, not. Abyssinia and Albania splendid work which the Fas-

his and Spain, brought ag- cist regime had done; we must Hitler about Austria. But it only the Abyssinians and

not say that when the war was was a superficial and temporary other victims but the principles gression back to Europe. over. Mussolini's "Empire" quarrel, which only briefly in- of the Covenant and the Kel-

would be ended, and the freedom terrupted their close collabora- logg Pact. He is the man who, in of the Ethiopians and the Al- tion and their deep community Those principles we were as of purpose, interest and thought, deeply pledged as to any treaty the "Non-Intervention" banians would be restorel,

and By sending technical

We have ever signed.- There must be no humiliation Committee and in

of the beaten Fascists; we must political advisers, by giving Geneva, broke up the seek a settlement of "generous" large sums of money and great restraining system of ternis, which would win the quantities of smuggied arms, he international law and friendship of all Italians and had helped Hitler to smash the

ensure a lasting pence.

And, indeed, they say. if we debased the morals and the methods of inter- held out hopes of large conces. sions, we might still persuade national politics even them to abandon Hitler and below the standards of even yet to join with us. the Machiavelli whom "Appeasement", was never he admires.

democratic Republic in the Reich and to fight his way to power,

On them depended not only our hopes of peace, but, as and imperial security as well. events have proved, our national The Stresa doctrine' is still dangerous nonsense in its last and strangest form of whispered for an appeasing Proposals

peace.

He Knows

It is nonsense to think that we can purchase Mussolini be hind Hitler's back.

He knew that in an alliance with an aggressive Nazi Reich lay his sole chance of snatching from Great Britain and France Mediterranean the great new policy; it was a deep-seated, realm of which he dreamed, has disease. It

lle knew that terrorist dicta- He is the man who pathological

taken various forms, and it has torship would only last in Italy allowed, or ordered, brought us to a dangerous con- if he could spread the infection Graziani to drop the dition; int it has never shown to other lands,

Chief of the Senussi from an Italian aircraft, while the tribesmen helplessly looked on.

The Stresa School He is the man who allow ed or ordered his Black- shirts to shoot up the de-l fenceless inhabitants of Ad- dis Ababa for three whole] days, to run them down with tanks and lorries in the streets, to burn them in their houses, to commit atrocities which disgraced the reputation of the kindly, gentle Italian people.

symptoms stranger

dangerous than these.

is

He knows, none better, that it with Hitler that he must

stand or fall.

It is wicked to suggest that ur more Wicked Nonsense

we should sell the freedom of The Stress Front, to all who the Abyssinian and Albanian It has never let its victims were not wilfully blind, was ob- nations in order to spare the into more egregions errors: vious nonsense. their proposals have never been

And it was dangerous and feelings of defeated Itome.

We are fighting to restore the in more flagrant conflict with wicked nonsense. Those who rights of weak and conquered the principles for which we fight, preached it accepted the lying peoples; that is the very essence nor based on greater ignorance fallacy-indeed, if one is a de- of our just and righteous cause. of the facts.

mocrat, the treacherous fallacy

PRIVATE LIFE OF A PRIVATE

REVEILLE

From the diary of a

says.

It is ignorant to say that when we restore the freedom of Abyssinia and Albania we shall humiliate the Italian people and leave a lasting resentment in their minds.

has

many of the

If we do not restore it we shall humiliate the many millions of Italians who have Thated Mussolini's adventures. But Puttock, the solid man, and aggressions from the first. The "Colonial Party" in Italy journalist now in the Army has, planted himself at Godal-

always been extremely HEAVEN knows why Re- ming's elbow, and grimly waits.

small; the very names of Abys yeille bus such a mournful My money is on Puttock.

And Puttock wins. He beat sinia and Albania now stink in He is the man who mur--sound.

""It don't make yow want to the laid from the Elephant by the nostrils not only of the pea- dered Matteotti, one of the ablest and the noblest lea-kit up; makes you want to lie short head. The Lad becomes sants and the workers and the

"Cor blige me! Cor blind "apper" classes, too. ders in our post-war world., as the Mau from Leices- lube, and uses dreadful words: soldiers, but of

It is foolish to suggest that Yet after all these actions The Lad from the Elephant O'Reilly! For crying out loud,

and Al- of Mussolini there have still and Castle is in favour of radical is this wot we pay rates and justice to Abyssinia

bania will mean injustice to been in this country seat-reform.

"Is this the way to win the Italy. "You'll laugh." he says. "But tered remnants of the Stresa

The "Empire" has brought Play Old That ruddy war? Git up at revally. I say this: School of thought.

Tiger. PlayShe's My Lady Jump aht o' your flaming skin. nothing but poverty and hard- In 1935 these people were Love. Play One G The Ruins Rush and tear to git aht o' the ship, death, disease and exile to of every class and convinced that if we let That Cromwell Knocked Abaht 'ut for a sluice and a shaye. Italians

A Bit-but play something Then you find there ain't no creed. Mussolini have his Empire fively

ruddy basins!

For five years it has progres- in East Africa, if we never Whereupon, the Good Soldier "Wot are we supposed to do? sively lowered their standard of

Orlright. 1'1 waft. mentioned Abyssinia at the Phillips, who wakes up like Wait? Stresa Conference or in Donald Duck-stretching him- Okay. Then wot 'appens?

"I got me bed to make up: fighting of revenge. Geneva, he would join with self, touching himself, tasting

himself, and appearing to find every blanket folded just us in an alliance against our himself somewhat distasteful to mind yer; all wrapped up in Nazi foe.

himself says:

In 1938, while he was! bombing Guernica, they said that he had given Italy a new vision, and its men a new virility.

Since then they have never

taxes for?

parcel.

plate..

so,

living; now it has involved their

66 This

is all

wrong!

...... ... མུ'''

But H.B.'s all right!""

"BRITAIN DELIVERS THE GOODS"

WE CARRY THE STOCKS

SPECIFY

DO YOUR PART

urmies in the bitter remorseless ALL BRITISH BUILDING SUPPLIES

Even if those armies

were

a

victorious, its hostile conquered

lands would offer them no hope

of future happiness or wealth.

Fulfil' The Pledges

never be stable or lasting pence,

either in East Africn or in the Balkans, while invading armies try to hold the Abyssinians and the Albanians down.

"Go on, you. Get out of it. "Then the 'ut's got to be clean Go on, get a rift on yourself. enough to eat fried eggs orf of;

It is pernicious to suggest that Jazz yourself up. Go on, rise then the buckets and utensils a and shine, and scrape that fluff got to shine like ruddy chromium the ending of the "Empire" will off your cheeks."

and breakfus at seven. be an obstacle to peace. "And if you're not on parade The truth is, all sensible Ita-. And the Lad, muttering in- pick-and-ruddy-span by quarter lians know it, that there will lost their hope that he could nudible defiance, takes down his to eight, cor luvnduck, they be induced to be our friend. towel, and joins a kind of Gold Practically any yer.

"And if I got a speck o' dirt Until he went to war to the washhouse.

in There are more men than under me finger-nails, I'm against us on June 10, they were convinced that, if we basins. Above each basin, hid- Tripe, and I'm for it.

den in the blackness of the dawn, 'is a mirror.. gave him oil enough, and lent him money, we could The early risers are already keep him neutral.

washing themselves. The Good let 'em give us time." They would whisper con-Buy from Godalming, who knows fidentially in private that, if the value of that extra fifteen we made him handsome of minutes, is nearly finished. fers, he might still be swung over to our side.

Whispering Campaign

They thought that there were many things which the Allies could give him- rights in Tunis, a share in the ownership and direction of the Suez Canal, loans to help him in East Africa, re cognition of his "conquest" of Albania.

"And if I ain't shaved like a Fuddy Alm-actor, I'm idle.

"If they want us to be clean

From another basin a voice, About him; like vultures round muffled by a towel, says:- a dying horse, stand four of our "Everybody's got the same time, squad, the Lad from the Ele- and everybody's clean." phant, the Kid from Widnes, "Gertcher," says the Lad from

ד'

that the Stresa Front is dead.

Let us thank God, therefore,

The British Government has declared that it is "anxious to see Ethiopin libérated from Ita- lian aggression." It wishes that country "to be free and inde- pendent."

We are, therefore, affording every assistance possible to those Ethiopians who have taken " arms against the common enemy,"

General Metaxas declared, in of the victorious name

Old Silence, and Paltock. the Elephant. "Watcher talkin'

The characters of the men about ?".

. The voice comes out of the the come out in the wash-house..

The Cockney is tense; he fid-towel and says:-"Get cracking Greeks, that they are fighting to gets, glances from side to side, or I'll put you in the Cooler tillberate Albania. and tries to keep his attention your hair turns white.".

Those pledges will be fulfilled.

fixed on three basins at once, It is the Sergeant. The Lad The justice-loving, unappeasing Old Silence patiently waits. from the Elephant gets cracking British people will see to that. And the time may not be dia- The Kid from Widnes, in a to such good purpose that, on the strategic position, mounts guard first Parade, a Second Lieutenant tant when, in their fulfilment, a over the left-hand side. ready compliments him on his turn-democratic Italy will take its for a surprise attack.

willing share.

out.

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