A LETTER FROM JOHN

Northern Advocate, 31 October 1936, Page 6

A LETTER FROM JOHN

Dear John,

. So you have, got into a species of the blues. Well, I don’t wonder. I am that way myself, sometimes, and I expect there are very few who are not when they think about things in general. You are quite right when you draw attention to the news in ohe part of your daily paper speaking of the wonderful prosperity that is apparently returning ’ to the United States (Which was, like yourself, in a species of the blues not so long ago), while in another part of the paper there are stories of diabolical fratricide in Spain and obvious intention by the dictators of Germany and Italy to make trouble as soon as they feel that they can do so with safety. As you say, it is truly like watching a dance macabre* to note the boasting of people that money is beginning to flow in England, for instance, when the truth is that the burst of employment is largely due to the fact that the nation is spending lavishly on preparations for another blood-bath. To rejoice that such' a thing is putting money into circulation is like a rooster crowing because he is being fed to bursting point, little thinking that the eye of the feeder is daily taking stock of his increased weight and calculating how many days must elapse before he is ready for the pot. You are to a certain extent correct when you say that, but, honestly, I don’t think you have got it quite right. I fully agree with you that arming to the teeth by the nations is the surest way, by which they can be tempted to do to one another things which lead to war, but, so far as Britain is concerned, I firmly believe that her re-armament is necessary to promote world peace. If she had been as strong as she should have been, I bet she would not have allowed Mr Mussolini to wave the big stick at the Abyssinians in the way- she did. _ She felt that she was not strong enough to fight Italy single-handed, and, not being able to rely upon the help of others in the League of Nations, she thought that the wisest thing to do was to put a blind eye to the telescope and set to work with all speed to make herself fit to take up any challenge which a Hitler or a Mussolini might throw down in future. A powerful Britain is essential to the preservation of world peace. Therefore I think you are wrong when you regret that Britain has embarked on a big rearmament policy. She has no option. At the same time, it is tragic that there should be any need for such rearmament. Well might it be said of people who find pleasure in the fact that war preparations are producing prosperity: “What fools these mortals be.”

However, keep your pecker up. You should be glad that Britain is taking practical steps to strengthen herself, and hope that the Dominions will realise the necessity for doing likewise. Yours, etc.,

ARTHUR,