PERJURER’S PROMISES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24430, 16 October 1940, Page 3

PERJURER’S PROMISES

In the endeavour to avoid a conflict with' Germany Britain had already gone not merely to the limit of reason and honour, but. as many thought, well beyond it. says the Spectator. Now Hitler, having won his relatively easy victories, thanks largely to the unsuspected demoralisation of France, would prefer to break off hostilities for a time. He needs a respite to organise his conquests. . In every country that his legions have trampled down he may be feared, but he is hated more. Not one of them, not even the still dazed France, is willingly submissive. The sight of one unconquered and unyielding country defying the conqueror through the North Sea mists keeps the spirit of resistance and the spirit of hope alike alive. Hitler knows that well,’ It is that first and foremost which dictates the inevitable peace offer he so crudely outlined in his recent Reichstag sneech. But deferred activity against Britain would in any case be part of his technique He never departs from the one set method. Assure Austria that her independence is safe, till the time has come to tear that independence to tatters. Make a treaty with Poland till the moment is ripe for crushing her. Protest now to Britain that there is nothing to fight about, till the final subjugation of the conquered countries is complete and an enemy credulous enough to be duped by a perjurer’s promises can either be crushed by overwhelming force or reduced to poverty and probable revolu® tion by exclusion from a, German Customs Union reaching from The Hague to Bucharest.