RUSSIA'S DEFENCE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22392, 13 April 1936, Page 8

RUSSIA'S DEFENCE

Sir Walter Citrine, general secretary of the British Trades Union Council, who recently returned from a tour of Russia, said that the whole of Russia's economic and political policy at the present time was governed by considerations of national defence. It was for that primary reason that Russia had so completely altered her attitude to the outside world. It explained why Russia had joined the League of Nations. It was the explanation of the pacts which Russia had entered into with other countries. It also explained the apparently more moderate attitude adopted by the Communist parties ii relation to the Democratic parties in other countries. What was called the "United Front" urged by the Communists under Russian inspiration was not primarily a move to unity with the object of rallying the proletariat to establish Socialism in other countries, but was a development of Russia's defensive policy directed toward secure ing the friendship and co-operation of other countries which could assist her in repelling the attack of an aggressor. He found an explanation of mauy changes in the internal policy of Russia in the anxiety of the Soviet State to strengthen itself against attacks from outside. The relaxation of pressure upon the peasants, for instance, and many material concessions made to the population of the country all had in view the possibility that a testing time would come in which the loyalty of the people would be subjected to a severe strain. Relations between the people and the Government were becoming, so to speak, more friendly for that reason. The same necessity of organising the country's resources for purposes of defence explained tho desperate efforts being made in Russia to equip and extend their industries.

BELIEF IN GOD It was wise for all intelligent people to reconsider from time to time the fundamental tenet "I believe in God." said the Bishop of Ely, Dr. Bernard Heywood, in a Lenten sermon. Everyone was bound to believo in a certain power which found its expression in things. Science was compelled to accept a creative power, and all people must believe in the power, whatever it was, that caused grass to grow. Perhaps not everybody called that power God. but nature was God. Admiration of beauty in nature was a form of adoration, and the experience of beauty, truth, or goodness was a divine experience. Whenever ho saw beautiful flowers he said to himself "What a beautiful GJpd!" When in some humble home lie witnessed an act or a life of heroism, there God was present. His hearers would know people who wanted to believe in God but could not. It was a great help to them to bo assured that if they cared for the best things they wore on the path which led to the goal of acceptance of the Christian faith. But they must not stop there. If they would appreciate the facts they would be led on farther toward a more complete belief in a personal God. Did anyone believe, Dean Inge had asked, that printer's pie could bo shaken and shaken until at last " Hamlet" emerged? Mere unintelligent force would never produce the things which came from the workings of the mind of a man like Shakespeare; and surely we must have mind to account for mind, personality for personality. There it was that the Christian religion uniquely came to our help. We could not form any idea of the size of the universe, so Ave said, "Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us." The answer was. "He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father." The Copernican astronomy was said to make the' idea of incarnation impossible, the argument being that Ho would not come in person upon our earth —a speck of dust in a little system among the myriads of systems. That was creating God in the image of man, on a low level at that, the level of the speaker who would not address any but a big audience. In the last resort conviction camo not as a process of reason but from experience. l