TIMELY TOPICS

Northern Advocate, 8 February 1936, Page 4

TIMELY TOPICS

THE WINNING OF A WAR,

Germany’s greatest leader in th( last war, General Ludendorff, has jus outlined what must be done to wu a future war in his book, “Der Total* Kreig” (“The Complete War”), reports the Berlin correspondent of th>: London “Observer.” Discussing th< blunders of the last war, Ludendorff says that German defeat was due tc the lack of a single unifying army control. In order to wage a successful war, declares Ludendorff, the whole strength of the nation must be mobilised. Complete unity between arm) and people is needed. Trade and industry, all food supplies, finances, propaganda, must ail be -subject to the same rigid iron discipline as the army itself. A declaration of war is a waste of time, he goes on, and it sometimes unfortunately brands the nation who

makes it. When war is to begin the whole nation must be mobilised on the first day. Ludendorff then paints a picture of this efficiently prepared and gigantic military machine marching forward to conquer the enemy successfully. Significantly, Ludendorff does not pay excessive attention to the air arm, but still clings to the vital importance of land forces. Ludendorff’s great point, however, is that all national forces must come under the control of the Supreme Leader of the General Staff. He regards this as jhe essential condition for success. Ludendorff is less sure of his ground when he deals with the people’s morale in war-time. However, he feels confident that an efficient propaganda machine—under control of the military will be able to repair the havoc caused by hunger and military defeats. <i> *-> <V

'V Words That Tell a Story. HUMBLE PIE. —To eat humble pie means to come down from the position you have assumed, to be obliged to take “a lower room.” “Umbles” are the heart, liver and entrails pf the deer, the huntsman’s perquisites. When the lord and his household dined, the venison pasty was served on the dais, but the umbles were made into a pie for the huntsman and his fellows. 3> <s> <s> <*> Do You Know—? (1.) What is the tonnage of the Brit- , ish battleship Rodney? 12.) What is the Rosetta Stone? , (3.) When was Thackeray born 0 — (4.) What is a safety lamp? * (5.) Who was Simon Magus? * IP.) Who was the founder of the I Royal Humane Society 0 c

Last Week’s Questions,

I Following are the questions (with answers) published last Saturday: 1. —What is the Iron Age. —An archaeological term denoting a cultural phase conditioned by the use oj iron, especially /or edged tools and weapons. 2. —Who was Jehoshaphat? —King of Judah from 876 to 851 B.C.

3. —When was Joan of Arc born; and where? —On January 6, 1412; at Domremy. 4. —What are the Samurai? —Japanese military class. In early feudal times the term was applied to all who bore arms. On the abolition of the feudal system in 1871 the samurai were forbidden to wear swords, and in 1878 the designation was changed to shizoku (gentry). 5. —What is Liberia? —A negro republic of Africa. It stretches inland from the west coast, to a depth

in some places of 200 miles from

Sierra Leone to the Gold Coast. 6. —What is the Fpurth Estate? —A term sometimes applied to the press ■to indicate its importance in the state, the three estates of the realm according to the constitution being the lords spiritual, lords temporal and commons. The term was first used by Edmund Burke.. »> <i> V- <»> Words of Wisdom. Fear is an untrustworthy guardian of constancy, but a kindly heart is faithful even unto the end of the world.— Cicero.