The Press MONDAY, MAY 2, 1938. Defenders of Civilisation

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22390, 2 May 1938, Page 8

The Press MONDAY, MAY 2, 1938. Defenders of Civilisation

Sir Nevile Henderson, the British Ambassador in Berlin, is acquiring a reputation for calculated indiscretion. In June of last year, shortly after his appointment, he chose the occasion of a dinner in Hamburg of the Anglo-German Society to rebuke those of his countrymen who were given to criticising National Socialism. One passage in his speech was the subject of a brief but angry debate in the House of Commons:—

In England far too many people take an entirely erroneous conception of what the National-Socialist regime really stands foi. Otherwise they would lay less stress dictatorship and much more emphasis on the creat social experiment which is being tried fn this country. Not only would they criticise ipM hut they might learn some useful lessons. ivU regrettable to see how much concentration is applted to trees which appear misshapen m English eyes and how little appreciation the is of the great forest as a whole.

The theme is a useful one, even if the manner of expressing it was unfortunate. In public administration, in the organisation of social services, in the housing of the working classes, in some departments of education, and in the evolution of a State-regulated monopoly capitalism, National Socialism has achievements to its credit which are worthy of study and even of emulation. It is unfortunate, and yet understandable, that other aspects of National Socialism which are repugnant to Englishmen should have led them to ignore or belittle these achievements. But Sir Nevile Henderson’s latest indiscretion is less justifiable. “A good British and German understanding,” he says, “is not only imperative in the inter- “ ests of both countries but also for the world “ and civilisation.” There are two objections to this statement. The first, and less important, is that Sir Nevile Henderson has far exceeded the legitimate functions of an Ambassador and has identified himself with that section of the Conservative Party—it is far from a majority —which thinks there should be a reconciliation with Germany at any price. The other objection is to the argument that an Anglo-German understanding is imperative “for the world “ and civilisation.” Such an understanding might be regarded as helping to preserve civilisation to the extent that anything which lessens the risk of war helps to preserve civilisation. But Sir Nevile Henderson, to judge by his previous utterances, means much more than this. He means that Great Britain and Germany both cherish the ideas and traditions which are the essence of European civilisation and that they have a mission to defend those ideas'and traditions. Herr Hitler has frequently and in the language of hysteria proclaimed himself chosen of God to defend civilisation; the notorious Anti-Comintern Pact proclaims in its first clause that its main concern is with the defence of civilisation; Herr Hitler has announced that the Japanese cause in China is the cause of civilisation; and Signor Mussolini has an army in Spain defending civilisation. So much parade has been made of these claims that Sir Nevile Henderson’s speech will inevitably be associated with them, will indeed be accepted as an endorsement of them. It is therefore permissible to point out that the ideology of National Socialism is quite as explicit a rejection of the values of European civilisation as is the ideology of Communism. National Socialism asserts the superiority of the Nordic race, the existence of some sort of race mind, and the supremacy of primitive urges and instincts over reason; it regards law as the expression of the genius of the race and denies the possibility of a law which is universal and derives from the rationality of the universe; and it claims Divine inspiration and sanction for the actions of its leader. These doctrines ante-date civilisation in Europe; they belong to the Cimmerian murk dispelled by Rome; and in their modern form they are a mixture of blasphemy and crude superstition. European civilisation, which comes in a direct line of development from Greek and Roman civilisation, is, in the widest, sense of the terms, catholic and humanist; its basis is reason and natural law; and its political creed is the possibility of a rational world order. Herr Hitler has no better title to be considered the defender of these values than has the paramount chief of the Cook Islands.