EUROPEAN SITUATION

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 13 April 1939, Page 10

EUROPEAN SITUATION

'To The E«!it.»r! Sir, —There are some aspects of the •xplosive European situation which ire. to my mind, much more disquieting i

than the fact that “no conscription” represents majority opinion throughout the British Empire to-day. Everything clone to date in Germany and Italy indicates an almost instantaneous outbreak of major European hostilities. In my judgment the position of France in the initial stages of that catastrophe would be appalling. On a land frontier of approximately 1000 miles—extending from the North Sea via Spain

to the Bay of Biscay. France has tc meet alone the combined military avalanches of Germany and Italy. Franco. probably on advice from Hitler, if retaining 1.200.000 men underarmed Hitler and Mussolini arc fully aware that there is no Maginot Line of fortifications on the French-Spanish frontier. The famous Maginot Line on the French-German frontier may. or may not. hold until the few precious English divisions come to aid the French. Hitler is much too wide awake to say “go unless absolutely certain he can crush. French army resistance before line arrival of English territorial ciiviWe must not forget that Stalin, whose main foreign policy is the destruction ot the “capitalistic system.” before the minor operation of destroying militarism as in Germany, has transport problems to solve on land before pressure of the Russian army can assist the French. It is true the French will fight with the courage of despair. In every .Frenchman’s mind is the thought ot that silent Ossuary at Verdun containing the bones of thousands who fell and died there in defence of France. Over those remains these words, "They Shall Not Pass” have prepared every French man. woman and child to sacrifice all unto death that their beloved France, the home of “Liberty. fraternity, equality” shall not pass under an ice-shcet of totalitarian militarism. As 1 understand the position the European stage is perfectly arranged lor an early, carefully thoughtout attack on France. With French productive soil under the feet of Hitler and Mussolini, the world menace of Centra] European militarism would have advanced several stages nearer effective attack on the non-fighting citizens of I he British Empire. It is the hostile land army that first marches over the ashes of London. Paris, Rome or Berlin that will bring much nearer its close the next European war. Sea and ail attack will still remain supplementary to infantry advance. With the Mediterranean converted into a boiling cauldron of mines anc torpedoes, to say nothing of bombs, nc troop ship, especially British, coulc boat there for 24 hours. That is why Mussolini has resurrected, in marble on the walls of the Basilica of Constantine in Rome, the widely extended Empire of Augustus when the Mediterranean was known to all Romans as "Our Sea.” Neither Hitler nor Mussolini are the “men of straw” .so many “don't fight” New Zealanders believe them to be. .Personally I have a profound respect for Hitler’s methods tc achieve his ends, regardless of the fac that a large majority of enlightened mankind now dread the realisation ol his ideals through militarism. None can detest war as a means to an cnc more than I do. but as the affairs o: mankind are to-day. military strength however applied, is the strength al nations covet as their soundest protection. Ponder for a moment the histories dynamic urging all Germans towards war. The classical name ‘‘Siegfried,’ given to Germany’s most vital line o: defence, brings to life the immortal ex ploits of Attila. by far the most sue cessful and victorious of all the Huns Hitler dreams to emulate Attila, and tc a lesser degree Alaric, the victorious leader of the Goths. From the Caspiar Sea tojthe Straits of Gibraltar Hitlei will direct and invigorate, in his owr day, Germanic destiny. Mussolini wil serve Hitler’s purpose in the meantime Think also of Germanic racial purity whereby “thoroughness” has elevatec the “great expectations” of the average German citizen to-day. Nothing car be more thorough than the German sys tern of preparing every German tc work, and. if need be. die for the future greatness of the Fatherland. Ir Germany’s popular labour camps class

I distinction fades away, and each youth ! iearns the fundamentals of all enduring | ethical wealth—the cultivation and production of food from the soil on ! which a race or nation exists. While , throughout the “wobbly” British Empire I the fatal slogan “no conscription” lulls all to sleep behind the tradition of Trafalgar and Waterloo, the spirit of I Attila has every German subject inI dexed according to age and ability when Hitler chooses the moment to , purge, through war, the vanguard of i • mankind from thes tupor of Marxian I , Democracy. It is the natural opinion , of Hitler and Mussolini that the world 1 must be made safe “from” Democracy. , not "for" Democracy. To both “Com- . munism” and “Democracy” are synonyr mous terms. Let the reader contemplate ) fora moment a race who can enthusiI astically erase from all their national I war monuments, from their lists of j those, who were decorated for military I service in the Great War. the name of , every man of Jewish extraction; a race whose school teachers, in giving prec- ’ ious milk to a long line of children, can j stoop to say to the innocent famished child at the end of the row. “there is . no milk for a Jewish child.” Such a race must carry into the next war a r keen and devastating sword. The time was never more favourable ’ than the present for the European dic- ) tators to attack lethargic democratic t .... 1

nations. It is my candid opinion that from the moment Hitler decides to carry his war on Marxian Democracy into the heart of France. Totalitarian militarism will have incorporated that wide expanse of territory known as Europe, over which roamed the plundering, pillaging hordes of Attila and Alaric. before all-shrinking democratic countries, except France and England, have fully realised the potentialities of world dictatorship through the sword that lies latent and perfectly controlled to-day behind the resolute leadership of Hitler and Mussolini. We can only defeat them, if it is not already too late, by adopting their methods. It is thus I envisage the not far distant era when the progeny of Attila and Alaric will arise Phoenix-like, virile, strong and scientifically correct, to proclaim in exaltation to the last generation of mankind that Mother Nature has for ever decreed “as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be.” that every life form on this earth must struggle always and strenuously to exist from era unto era. Also that sc pitiless a struggle, pivoted on enduring change, makes of eternal peace for the human specie, an alien and outcast, foi many generations of mankind yet to be —I am, etc., ARTHUR HUNTER. Richmond. Bth April.