NOTES AND COMMENTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23378, 21 June 1939, Page 12

NOTES AND COMMENTS

BREEDING DOWNWARD We in Britain are at last on a par with the other democracies of Europe in recognising that the rights of a citizen imply the obligation of selfdefence. says tho London Observer in comment on tho adoption of conscription. A lot of fine language lias been spilt upon tho altar of voluntary service, but the light of its ideals casts into heavy relief the shadows of shirking and selfishness. XJnder its operation in the last war the best of our youth went first to incur terriblo losses, while laggards of a lower grade survived in far greater proportion to continue the race. When a nation adopts voluntary service in the facing of a great struggle, it chooses an infallible method of "breeding downward." It is not only wiser and j lister to make every man carry the burden for which ho is fitted, but it is far truer to the principles and genius of democracy. ORDINARY MAN'S JUDGMENT The ordinary man, for all his distrust of that which lie knows himself most to lack, can make one boast that tyrants would do well to notice, wiitcs Mr. Evan John in "The Ordinary Man's Answer to Hitler." He boasts that he knows cruelty when ho sees it. Ho is quito undeterred by those who tell 'him that there is an undercurrent of cruelty beneath his own prosperity; ho can distinguish what is inevitable from what is wanton and unnecessary. He is quite unimpressed by theories of tho importance of rutlilessness. He accepts tho ancient maxims that come to him from firstrate minds, telling him that there are times when chivalry and generosity are tho truest wisdom, as well as the truest virtue. And when he is told that consistent ruthlcssness is ultimately the only kindness, ho has his answer ready. For he may bo distrustful of dogma and puzzled about truth, but he is quite sure that lies are lies. And he is still willing to give up his life, his thousands and millions of lives, in the never-ending struggle to prevent lying and cruelty from marching hand in hand to triumph. THE WHITE WAR Herr Hitler boasts that he has won his successes without war. But not without the threat of war, notes "Scrutator" in the Sunday Times. Thanks to Germany's geographical position in Central Europe, to the interior lines on which sho can operate, and to the discords in the confused welter of races that broken waves of successive invasions have left in that region, Herr Hitler has been able to develop a new technique by which the threats of war have been made to accomplish as much as, or more than, actual war and without the penalties that modern war exacts from victors as well as vanquished. The present state of the world is not one of peace; a shadow war is going on all the time which, if it sheds no blood, is wracking nerves beyond endurance, wasting the fruits of toil, and breaking up the comity of nations. Of two courses, one. If isolation were possible Britain could have denied that anything which happens in Eastern Europe was any concern of hers. But if that was ever possible, it is impossible now, if only for tho reason that a policy of isolation on Britain's part would soon see Germany 011 the Mediterranean threatening her main highway to the East. MR. EDEN'S POSITION In tho light of the events of the past year tho circumstances of Mr. Eden's resignation seem almost unintelligible, writes Mr. Ronald Cartland in reviewing a published collection of the exForeign Secretary's speeches. From the moment that ho resigned a vast number of people in this country looked to Mr. Eden to express their beliefs. These speeches show why ho has had, and still has, such an appeal to so many people, irrespective of party allegiance. "When the whole future of our civilisation may be at stake, who cares about party labels?" he asked in 1936; and again and again comes the plea for national unity and for a nation-wido attempt to build an efficient democracy. His speeches show the deep concern that bo has for faith in democracy, and at times ho rises to almost Baldwinian heights, particularly in his speech on St. George's Day, on England, and tho speech which he delivered in the United States. Yet his language seems to lack the power of expression that tho world expects from a loader. Thero is a remarkable speech delivered in June, 1938, the first after his resignation, in which ho pictured tho dangers ahead and called for a gigantic and united effort. Contrast that with tho speech made in tho House of Commons after Munich. Contrast them, again, with tho speeches delivered at tho saino timo by Mr. Churchill. Mr. Eden seems often just to miss tho right phrase, and to fail to express in terms of force the strength of his sentiments. His vocabulary is strangely limited.

"HAVES" AND "HAVE-NOTS"

There comes in the life of most individuals a time when suddenly and perhaps to their own surprise they find themselves looking no longer forward, but backward, when change presents itself as something disagreeable, and the best thing to hope for is a quiet life in which they may keep what they have without striving for more, writes "Scrutator" in the Sunday Times. That is the state of the great democracies to-day—Britain, France and the United States—and it is one that carries with it very real dangers. The defence has great advantages over the offence in tho military sense; but diplomatically the advantage is with the offence. There are usually more people in the world who arc discontented with things as they aro than satisfied; still moro important, tho hope of positive foreo is a greater stimulus to effort than the chance of merely keeping what is already in possession. The "haves" are under a constant temptation to wait obsequiously on events, to procrastinate, and to avoid forcing issues which may after all be evaded. But tho "have-nots" must win and keep the initiative in order to have tho slightest chance of realising their ambition. It is easier with nations as with individuals to rise from below than to maintain their position at the top. The moral is that the satisfied and therefore non-aggressive Bowers have not less but more need of now methods and of greater effort than the aggressive Powers which have tho motives of ambition or revenge.