A NATION OF COWARD?

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 35, 9 August 1930, Page 25

A NATION OF COWARD?

GF WAR' BOOK" CgAZE

Sey&slV'times. jlatoly I have been Btartisd-byi pertain, comments—made mostly' ty* 'wb'mfen—on the subject of peace propaganda.and the literature-of war, writes Sir Philip Gibbs in the "Sunday-News.," ... When I.went.to see the play of "Journey's End," which moved me profoundly, I overheard some words by a young girl who stood aside with her people as the audience streamed out. She was a pretty girl of .something over 20, and there ,was ;.a sharpness of anger in her -v,'oic!A as' she spoke clearly and lou.dlj^ •■'■' . .''l think its an abominable play! . . . They wpre,j?lKweaklirigs. . . Cowards!' - Ancfihe other day this suggestion of cowardice was made ,tp me by a lady who was the wife of. a distinguished officer in thp war, "I h,ate; Jill theso war books," she told me;. .''They aro dragging.down the heroism of our men—into the dirt. They are uttefly.falso and vile. As for all this pcfccJe'-'propaganda, it makes me spiritually ill. We are educating a nation of cowards." .; Sho spoke passipnately and did not disguise her conviction that England would lose its old heritage—and the Empiro itself—if; the younger generation were demoralised and weakened by the neurosis of .fear, or—as she called it bluntly— "'£&&'! There are some-meii-saying the same kind of thing, .i know many 'vho believo that most of fta.fr war books recently published aro part of a secret jthd/pefEaps- unconscious /conspiracy, of • neurotic--minds to depict war in its foulest and most hideous aspects, emphasising the quivering terror of its victims and ignoring the courage of men, because of the cowardice in their own souls.

They believe also that modem young manhood is losing the valour of its fathors, that it has no steel in its spirit to enduro hardships or face danger, and that if another war happens—if our nation has to light for its life or its honour —these young men of to-day will be shirkers and slackers.

Well, now, I am rather concerned in this argument, because I must confess to being one of the war-haters. ; First, about these war books—what is the meaning of them? Some of them seem to me, certainly, unnecessarily i'oul, and making war an excusq rather than a reason for using disgusting language and dwelling upon moral and mental filth.

Other war books—some of the finest —are also a little false to the truth by leaving out certain elements of'war

wheh were part of the truth. There was a great deal of gaiety in France— this sido of death. Men laughed, even in the trenches. There were fine days when, the sun shone, though Jevcr a one in Barbusse's masterpiece!

But in order to make people understand war who have never experienced it —who have the old false illusions about it —these writers of war books, enraged by the conspiracy of ailence which covered its agonies, its horrors, its stupidities, its abominations, and its secret workings in the minds of brave men —tend to leave out the moments of respite lest they should weaken their narrative of atrocious torture.

It may seem curious that women— and youngl girls—rshould talk about "funk" after sucli a play.as "Journey's End," though Ido not think many do.: The type of mind to whom such an idea comes belongs, I imagine., to the old tradition which believes th&^ a man, especially an' English gentleman,' should bo ready to die for his country,at any moment and look pleasant about. it.- ,:-."' ■. ":■:■

It spoils their idea of the heroic qualities of manhood —always brave, always delighted to die with a gallant jest, always under complete self-control -even with both legs blown offl They cannot imagine, and they don't, want to imagine, and they hate those who try to make them imagine, a casualty clear-, ing station on a day of battle with shell-. shocked* blinded, and mutilated men.

It' is for those people that the :war books are written. I hope they will go on reading them. . .

Is there any truth in 'that accusation that we are educating a nation of cowards and adopting a policy of funk? I hope not. I am not a hero myself, but I believe in courage. If we lose that wo lose everything. But I don't believo war is necessary for the development of human courage. There are lots of other opportunities in life!

Modern warfare, indeed, is not always a training in courage. It is often the annihilation of it. It breaks down by inhuman and mechanical methods. Splendid physique, high spirit, valour of | soul, the vitality of youth, are! of no avail against a creeping barrage or a wave of poison gas, or an intensive bombardment upon some dug-out or billet where a group of nie7i sit waiting for disintegration.

Thp old bully in us is dying out. We have lost some of our arrogance, and — no doubt—some of our strength.

I see the danger of getting soft, and there are elements of weakness in England ..to-daiy* But I don't believe in that charge of "funk."'.