The Editor’s Saturday Night

Northern Advocate, 1 October 1938, Page 6

The Editor’s Saturday Night

The past week will stand out as one of the most remarkable periods, if not the most remarkable period, in history. It is probable that few realise fully what has been compressed into a few days, and what a catastrophe has been ~’est&ped. * That is becaus e we are so * doge to momentous events as to, be unable to see them in proper perspective The historian writing, shy, fifty years hence, or even less than that, will demonstrate, hew narrowly there was escaped & disaster which might conceivably have meant the end of civilisation as we know it, jUst as it is possible to demonstrate how the. Great War might have been avoided | rulers of the nations had used the diplomacy and determination to maintain 1 peace which have matlted. the ! past week, and the weeks immediately preceding it. 1 When the week opened, a burden iof dread foreboding oppressed the ; ’ peoples of all nations; for it seemed •as if nothing short of a, miracle .could avert a war which would drag-,- every nation into a blood bath. And it was I believed that the age of was ’ passed! Herr Hitler, it was reported, • had presented to Czechoslovakia, an ultimatum, the conditions of ,which far exceeded those upon Which Britain and Prance had secured;the. agree- - 1 ment of the Czechs. More thanV that, ; . ■ ■he had reduced the-■time-' - which :: acceptance of his •.< terms - be |; made. The Czechs mmounced 1 ■ their determination tp. v fighjt Getihany, ' and France, and Britain : f^ed | with the inescapable fact that they ►would be forced to take sides against Germany, Mr Chamberlain, who had striven, as perhaps no other statesman has done through a long period' to promote peace among the .nations, made sT last appeal to Herr Hitler. Zero hour, was aproaching when a dramatic- scene, was witnessed in the House of Commons. Mr Chamberlain, tired and weary, was about to finish a long speech in which he had explained bis" efforts to avert; war, when a, message i was received from Herr Hitler agreeing to meet the British Prime, Minter and stating that Signor • and M. Daladier would also be invited to attend, a conference at Munich.

The effect of this announcement was electrical. In a very few Herr Hitler and Signor Mussolini \vere , on board trains speeding to-Munich, - and Mr Chamberlain land M. Daladier were flying ttirough the air bound for the same destination, v % There is no need to repeat what, the cable messages: told yesterday,- An agreement was signed, and 'toe ger of war in the immediate future has been removed. Millions-of; ®ep« pie, hearing the good news, tyent to bed happier than they had bjeeipjor some time. The world is hoping.that, as a result of events unparalleled, in • ■ • - it;. history, there will yet be evolved a system by which arbitration' will replace the sword in the settlement j, of international differences. If that should prove to be the case, tliept will the Great War indeed have been a war to end war, and the sacrifice of millions of lives not have w$ vain, for it may be said without fear of contradiction that the terrible price , phid by the nations in that world upheaval contributed materially to the decision of the statesmen assembled at Munich to allow reason, brutal force, to rule.