WHITHER EUROPE?

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 80, 1 October 1938, Page 27

WHITHER EUROPE?

FATE OF DEMOCRACIES

The author of "The Battle For Peace," F. Elwyn Jones, has had his blood thoroughly curdled by the situation in Europe, and, as this book of his was written before the recent Czechoslovakia crisis, he must by now be at fever heat. Mr. Jones has been dazzled by the Fascist genius for organisation, and suggests that the menace to democracies must be met with active measures.

The main purpose of his book is to answer the question asked by the author in his chapter on "The Nazi Imperialism's—How can Bohemia, Switzerland, Luxemburg, Flanders, Holland, Scandinavia, the' Baltic countries be brought under Nazi direction when to attempt to do so by invasion might bring Europe to arms against Germany?

The answer is that the Fascist States have devised a new technique of aggression whereby the democracies may be disrupted from within. This technique is in the main German, but since Fascism originated in Italy, an introductory chapter is given to. Mussolini. Mr. Jones holds that "as long as his dictatorship rules in Rome, Europe will know no peace."

Mussolini's strokes are regarded as being bold and conspicuous, whereas the Nazi organisation is more subtle: it is like an iceberg, with its principal mass below the surface. Particulars are given of this organisation, special mention being made of the Nazi radio technique. Holland, Belgium, Denmark, and Scandinavia are all fields of operation, and so are practically all European countries. Nazi activities in Britain are described with full detail, and, according to the picture painted by Mr. Jones, democracy's day' seems doomed unless something is done and done quickly to stem the spreading flood. "The chief responsibility for the impotence of the Peace forces of the world rests upon the British National Government," is the conclusion reached by the author.

"The Battle for Peace" is certainly provocative of thought, but it may be doubted whether it presents a complete or quite fair survey of the position. Mr. Jones displays intense partisanship, and he has no difficulty in finding exactly what he wants in order to prove his case. There are some useful maps in "The Battle For Peace," which is published by Gollancz.