WARNINGS AGAINST OVER-OPTIMISM

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 92, 12 January 1940, Page 8

WARNINGS AGAINST OVER-OPTIMISM

Mr. Chamberlain did well to emphasize in his broadcast his conviction that this New Year would probably be a fateful one in the history of the world.” The fact that no major offensives have yet been attempted on land, though explained by the impossibility of carrying on large-scale operations under winter conditions, has encouraged many people to believe that the naval blockade of German}'-, and the probability of the enemy’s resistance collapsing under the strain and through internal disruption, would bring the war quickly to an end in favour of the Allies. This feeling has tended to engender a sense of security which is far from being justified by the realities of the situation. Many warnings are now being given against accepting reports of internal dissension in Germany at their face value. That there is hardship resulting from the blockade and other war strains, and uneasiness and dissatisfaction with a course of events which has taken a contrary direction to the victory inarch promised by the Fuehrer, is unquestionably true. But there are certain hard facts which should dispel the belief that a general collapse is not far distant. “It must be remembered,” says the Yorkshire Post, for example, “that the German people have for many years been drilled and disciplined into habits of blind belief and automatic obedience, and modern scientific resources have equipped any Government prepared to use these resources ruthlessly, with tremendous facilities both for warding off popular discontent by means of propaganda, and for detecting and suppressing it should it occur.” This dictatorship system, built up over the last six years, has isolated the German people from the truth, and in fact from the realities of their own situation. It will take some time to break this down, and much will depend on the course of events, and to what extent the ramifications of the war are extended.