The Wanganui Chronicle FRIDAY. NOVEMBER 27, 1936. GERMANY, JAPAN AND RUSSIA

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 281, 27 November 1936, Page 6

The Wanganui Chronicle FRIDAY. NOVEMBER 27, 1936. GERMANY, JAPAN AND RUSSIA

TTIE relationships which exist between Germany on the one hand and Russia on the other, are those of allies against a common enemy. Germany and Japan have professed to abhor the doctrine known as Communism. They seem also to have agreed to act in concert Io hold Russia in cheek. As Russia does not appear to be desirous of emerging from her own wide open spaces, the concert seems to be a united agreement to light a shadow, or gain something under colour of an excuse. Communism, as a doctrine, is not immediately being preached in Russia. Stalin has been able to show that the object is Socialism. This differentiation will, of course, charm the world, for hitherto Communism has been regarded as the Socialist movement with a kick in it. The object of Socialism, according to Stalin, is to pay each according to his contribution. This appears, to the true Marxian, to be a capitalistic heresy: Stalin claims that to pay each according to his need is the true concept of Communism, not of Socialism. The chief objection to Communism is not that it fails to work, but that it is a purely materialistic conception of Lite. It is for this reason that the Roman Catholic Church is so strongly opposed Io Communism as a doctrine. It is of the earth earthly, if has no spiritual content. It denies that “man shall not live by bread alone,'’ and is prepared to declare that he can and may, and even'in its enthusiastic moments that he shall live by bread only. The opposition to Communism, therefore, should rest upon the spiritual plane. How does Germany and Japan stand in the world as apostles of spirituality? If they can oppose Communism with a nobler doctrine, which shall regard the. soul of man as of divine fire, then they will be doing the world a groat service, for by displacing <Tnst with divinity the world will be made a nobler place. There may, however, be some doubts as Io whether I hose two nations are really able to carry out the role—either jointly or severally—for which they have dressed themselves. When their own conduct is examined it does not appear to be anything less than a confirmed belief in reeking tube and iron shard. Communism in Russia has striven to improve the lot of the Russian people: it has achieved a great deal, but it is open to assert that if the individual effort anil enterprise had been allowed to operate, freely the standard of living in Russia would have been raised very much more quickly and to a greater height than has attained up to now. In Germany and Japan, however, there has been a consistent lowering of the standard of living and a consistent increase in the expenditure in armamente when no enemy threatens cither country. Herr Hitler and Herr Hess have both declared that Germans prefer guns to butter, but the preferred diet can hardly be regarded as uplifting. Germany is now in the awkward position of having to denounce a Russian trial in which several German nationals have been convicted and condemned to death and imprisonment. State trials in Russia are certainly not nice affairs, and the ideas as to what constitutes a desirable judicial procedure which are entertained in Russia are certainly crude. But is Germany in a position to sit in the seat of judgment on Russian judicial methods’’ And, for that matter, is Japan in any better case? In lhe matter of public trials and in the consideration extended Io the individual citizen as such, each of the three countries appear to have nothing more than the others to be proud of. Communism has something to commend it in Russia, in that it displaced a Government by bureaux supported by bayonets which was corrupt through and through, whereas in Germany and Japan it is by no means clear that the change from constitutional Government to either acknowledged or managed tyranny has been a step towards improvement. Germany may consider that the time lias arrived when it is able to make its moves towards the east, using the Striekling ease as the causus belli, and if it is contemplating such a move, then the publication of the agreement between itself and Japan might be. regarded as a preliminary step. There is one major fault to be found witli Germany’s diplomacy, however, and that is she has given ample and retiterated warning to Russia of the game she intends to play, and has given Russia the opportunity to organise her forces and resources for the coming contest. On the other hand, the mouthing of threats by German leaders, and tlt’e publication of the Japanese-German Agreement, may be regarded as no more than an attempt, to influence Russia Io (wcrr-V Germany’s demands for the release of her