NOTHING IS INEVITABLE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 153, 10 April 1941, Page 4

NOTHING IS INEVITABLE.

The loaders of' tho Frofich -Republic-, observes tho “New York Times,” were convinced that they could not “fight the future.” Now there -is no French Republic. The British people and their leaders were not convinced. At Dunkirk this false “future” said surrender: they did not surrender. When Gocring’s air flotilla came over, it again said surrender : they did not surrender. When Mussolini yiarched on Egypt, it said retreat. Instead they took Sidi Barrani and Rardia. and 80,000 prisoners. The 'Greeks were not convinced. For them tho Fascist armies were not the bearers of an invincible “new order.” They were braggarts who had come on a dangerous errand unprepared. In the mountains of Albania, the Fascist “future” took what may be its fatal wound. Do we need clearer answers than these to the new philosophy of defeat? The true future is no mystic tide that steals upon us while we sleep. It is what free humanity wills it to be—what it wills it to lie with men, guns, tanks, aeroplanes, fighting ships; what it wills with confidence and passion in brotherhood and justice. Democracy stands or falls upon the doctrine that no man and no nation need be the slave of destiny, or of any insolent minority which assumes the robes of destiny. Nothing is inevitable! We can challenge and master the future.