REACTION TO WAR

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVII, Issue 21507, 21 November 1939, Page 4

REACTION TO WAR

Happenings And Problems

Views Of Eminent Persons

Since the outbreak of war. many eminent persons have written letters to “The Times,” of London, commenting on the happenings and problems of the day. Here are extracts from recent letters:—

Bishop Carey.—When it copies to the question as to whether our pfesent entry into a war for freedom is right or hot, I, for one, consider that it is the most unselfish, true, and noble cause tot which a nation ever risked its all.

Mr A. P. Herbert, M.P.—Those who supported, and may still support, Dr Frank Buchman, will, rlo doubt, like to be reminded now of one of the doctor’s most profound and famous sayings: “Thank God for a man like Adolf Hitler, who will stand against the anti-Christ of Communism!” Lord DaWsOh of Pehn.—in countries long organised to. conscription, men are classified according to their qualities in times of peace—and those nations are not in danger Of being bereft of too large a proportion of their best in the early days of war. May I plead for a careful scrutiny how? Lord Hugh Cecil, Provost of Eton.— It is not desirable, esoecially in wartime, to encourage individuals, whether men or women or even children, to think too much about their own safety. Every one should be encouraged to say: “After all, it does not matter I am killed.” It is surely a community that has a high martial spirit .indifferent to danger, which wins a war, rather than one in which everybody is thinking how to be safe. Lord Reading.—The executive of the Council for German Jewry has been enrolling from among the refugees volunteers for national emergency service, and over 27.000 have already completed the necessity forms. All these people are the victims of the grossest Nazi oppression and brutality, and their great desire is to be allowed to help the country Which has given them refuge from their sufferings. Sir John C. Squire—News bulletins starting ih the morning and going on at intervals day and night are perfectly unnecessary. There is not news enough to justify them; the monotonous droning of the announcers’ voices saying the same thing over and over again is maddening; and large numbers of the population stay out of bed in the false hope of hearing something late and special when they would be much better employed in going to bed and expecting no more calamities until they see their morning papers. Sir Norman Angell.—lf Hitler can continue to persuade his people that our victory would be even worse for them than—they have come to believe —our last victory has been, bringing upon them another and worse Versailles, then their resistance is likely to be correspondingly long and bitter. We shall best predispose the world to aid our cause, and the Germans to accept it, by making clear that we are honestly attempting to discover, in the light of experience, how our victory may this time truly be made the instrument of a nucleus international order in which all nations prepared to accept justice may -find peace.