THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1940 EVIL THINGS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23759, 12 September 1940, Page 8

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1940 EVIL THINGS

Horrified by the indiscriminate, sustained and pitiless bombing of London, the whole world will sadly agree with Ludendorff's damning assertion that: "At the moment we Germans are the people which has freed itself furthest from the teachings of Christianity." Through him the old Prussian spoke and can scarcely be excelled by the new Nazi, except that the latter is more terribly armed. Ludendorff, the greatest general thrown up by Germany in the last war, did not speak of his people's departure from the Cross mournfully or reproachfully. He spoke proudly, repudiating such.- Christian virtues as mercy, compassion and loving - kindness. London stands witness to-day that the old strain of Prussian ruthlessness and frightfulness has descended in direct' line to the new Nazism. Ludendorff it was who, overruling the politicians, ordered unrestricted submarine warfare to begin on February 1, 1917, in the hope of snatching victory from stalemate. His defiance of humanity caused the United States to join the Allies two months later, filling the place vacated by Russia. To-day, in a similar riiood of fury and frustration, Hitler has let loose the Luftwaffe in a devil's orgy of unrestricted bombing. Like Ludendorff, he defies the world conscience, hoping to escape the consequences by snatching a quick victory and, also like' Ludendorff, he will fail. Were Hitler merely striking out blindly in desperation, something might be said in extenuation, however hollow in view of his wholesale crime. The terrible fact is, howevei, that he is acting out of policy and according to set rule. He admits no scruples. The end justifies the means. Thus, in one of the speeches by which he commended Nazism to the German people before he took office, he said; "We may be inhuman! But if we save Germany we have accomplished the greatest deed in the world. We may be unjust! But if we save Germany we have repaired the greatest injustice in the world. We may be immoral! But if our people is saved, we have paved the way for morality." Hearing this now, the world shudders at the thought of how Hitler has paved the roads of Poland, Belgium and France, and the streets of Rotterdam, and how he is paving the streets of London. Lest it be thought his words were the hasty improvisation of the demagogic platform, they can be matched by Hitler's writing in the book prescribed as the German bible. "Mein Kampf" declares: "The urge for self-preservation is eternally, victorious. Before so-called humanitarianism, which is merely a compound of stupidity, cowardice and arrogance, melts like snow in the March sunshine. In constant war mankind has become great—in eternal peace it must perish. In this repudiation of humanity and Christianity, Hitler is not alone. He leads the whole Nazi chorus and derives his theme direct from barbarian Prussia. Ludendorff had already found in war ''the highest expression of national life.

Another proof that the tactics now being used against London are no crime of passion, but deliberate and premeditated, can be f°und "Mein Kampf," where Hitler discourses on methods for overcoming stubborn resistance. He is speakuig in another connection but the application to the present case will easily be recognised. He writes of barefaced intimidation and violent outrage practised upon minds until "they see only the ruthless force and brutality of determined assertions, to which in the end they always submit." On the next page he talks of bombarding with a regular drumfire, and keeping it up, ' till the nerves of the other side broke down Repeat the same performance over and over again, and dread of the mad dogs exercises through suggestion the effect of Here is nakedly exposed the satanic method of terrorisation, the method now being tried against London. Here also is the admission of what Hitler hopes to achieve by its diabolical aid, a hope that is already being dashed by the steady spirit and unadorned heroism of the Londoners. But although Hitler's infamy will be exercised in vain against the stolid British, it is well to bring its darkness to light and to recognise that the Nazi present is rooted in the barbarous Prussian past. These aie the "evil things" that the Empire must work and fight against, and for the victory of right and humanity.