THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 136, 5 March 1941, Page 8

THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY

Comments —Reflections

“The state of the world is such, and so much depends on action, that everything seems to say loudly to every man, ‘Do something: do it; do it-’”—R. Cecil.

"We have the cause which the great mass of men and women in conquered Europe still wish to see triumph. We have a whole continent at our back supplying us with materials and wea pons of war on a scale f/ir vaster than anything Hitler can summon to his side. Why is it that our diplomacy cannot profit from these mighty resources? Partly because it is German arms Which have displayed before the eyes of these stricken peoples the heaviest parade of force. But partly, too, because we have not yet understood the significance of political warfare To neglect that art now would be as foolish as a refusal of our army chiefs to apply the precepts of air warfare which Hitler taught us in Poland.” —“Evening Standard,” Lon don.

“Stalin is an Asiatic by race and, what is more important, by background* and temperament. By its absolute personal autocracy, by its in dividual and mass executions, by the secrecy which envelops every step of its policy, by the suspicion and espionage which are visited on the few for eigners who are permitted to live within its frontiers, the Soviet Union may be recognized as a typical Asiatic State. Russia has been lost to European civilization. And this observation holds good also for the extensive area which it has swallowed up by agreement with Germany—Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Bessarabia, Bukovina, Eastern ' Poland.” —Mr. W. H. Chamberlin, in “Harper’s Magazine.”

“What is needed is something far more radical and searching than a ‘recall to religion.’ • The truth is that Europe is more intensely religious, more dominated by religious motives, than it has been since the Reformation. As Aldous Huxley has said somewhere, this is not an Irreligious age. It is an age of faith)—perverted faith, to be sure, yet mighty and moving in its consequences. What are Fascism and Communism, intensely disciplined and highly organized, and claiming the whole of a man, body and soul, from the cradle to the grave, if they are not religions? Do they not have their creed and symbols, their heroes and prophets, their appeal to cosmic significance? Do they not have their doctrines, including soteriology, eschatology and judgment? They do. Nothing in this world is more destructive of Christian vision and values than is perverted religion.”—The Rev. H. D. McKelhan in b-is book, “What Men Need Most.”

“We must not, of course, underrate the immediate danger of Hitler’s diplomatic moves. Now, as in the two years before the war, Germany has a good-looking hand and plays it skilfully. But it has its weaknesses—weaknesses our own diplomacy should be probing and exploiting. Hungary’s adherence to the Axis is admittedly based on imperialist aims that would put the Balkans back to 1913. Rumania is a Reuben among nations, as unstable politically as she has proved herself weak in the military sense. Yugoslavia is hardly less hostile than Greece to Italian ambitions. Bulgaria, if she fears Russia, fears Germany more. In general, it is terror of the Axis and not love of the Axis that is bringing Balkan support; and, in the long run, those same jealousies which prevented the formation of a Balkan bloc to keep the peace will make difficult the formation of a Balkan bloe to help Germany win the war.’’—“Birmingham Post.”

“Five months ago the British stood alone and, by all ordinary estimates, defenceless. Five months ago it appeared that ail Europe would be united against them and a world-wide alliance as well. Today they are not defenceless and Europe is not united against them. The world-wide alliance is shaken, and from every corner of Europe come evidences that they have allies. From ail parts of the world come assurances that they will not be allowed to fail. This they have accomplished by their courage, and mankind owes them an infinite debt, not only for holding the line so gallantly, but even more for giving back to men their lost faith in themselves. For the British have proved to this smart and unbelieving, this clever and neurotie generation that in the calculation of chances sheer valour is a force, and that.with a stout heart and a clear eye men can still assuredly say, ‘Out of this ifettle, danger, we pluck this flower, safety.’ ” —New York “Times-Tribune.”

“The war effort put forth by India is in every way worthy of the martial traditions of India. Indian troops are manning the outer bastions of national defence in Egypt and Malaya They were preesnt with the B.E.F. in France, and their courage and discipline during the evacuation from Dunkirk were fully up to the high standard of their British and French comrades The strentgh of the Royal Indian Navy has been raised two and a half times. The Royal Indian Navy is co-operating with the RoyaFNavy in the defence of Indian waters. India’s further contribution to the maritime defence of the Empire has been the fitting out of a number of armed merchant cruisers, and local naval defence vessels. On the munitions front the progress has been phenomenal. India produces today some 20,000 different items eon l sisting of weapons, ammunition, ordnance stores and clothing which go to make the equipment of a modern army. She manufactures within her own borders more than 90 per eent. of her war requirements; she makes her own rifles, machine-guns, small arms ammunition, as well as propellants of all sorts, artillery, guns, howitzers, everything except motor ears and aeroplanes.”—lndian Review,” Madras. ♦ * The Lasting Virtue. There shall never be one lost good! what was shall live, as before; The evil is naught, is silence implying sound; What was good shall be good, with, for evil, so much good more; On the earth the broken arcs; in the heaven, a perfect round. —R. Browning.