The Wanganuni Chronicle. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1943. THE FIFTH YEAR OF WAR

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 208, 3 September 1943, Page 4

The Wanganuni Chronicle. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1943. THE FIFTH YEAR OF WAR

pNTERING upon the fifth year of wav, the world shows no signs of war weariness. This is due to a defective vision. The world is a big place and the people of many countries are not able to sit comfortably at their breakfast tables reading the world’s news. China has been at war longer than has any other country. The invaders have found that it is impossible for them to undertake complete occupation of the country and have confined their attentions to the coastal strip, the railway systems and the river systems of the country. In Chungking, however, a determined population keeps doggedly on with the effort of resisting the invaders, It should not be lightly assumed that the Chinese are devoid of war weariness. Inside Germany there arc millions of foreign workers who are in their present positions because of the war. Their outlook is as black as their present position. At any moment their lives may be cut short by Allied bomb action. Their existence inside the Reich, however, has no satisfaction, and they long for the time when they shall be able to return to their own homelands and to their own people. These forced workers are feeling the war weariness that does not affect the people of New Zealand. The people of Poland are perhaps the most unfortunate of all the warring nations. They were pursuing a pacific policy, they did not desire to be involved in the general conflict, but the attack upon them fell as does an avalanche down a mountain side—suddenly, devastatingly and without warning. When the defence organisation was overwhelmed the Germans continued to pursue the policy of the wolf, to use Bismarck’s term for Germany, and endeavoured to eliminate the Poles. The Germans have carried out a policy of extermination against Poland’s inhabitants with the object of securing that breathing space toward, the east of which they have continually spoken, for the past seventy years. All, the rules of international law, all the usages of war between civilised nations, have been disregarded. But the Poles, despite Mieavy casualties, have not been exterminated. Many have found means of escape and are now fighting against the Axis. The only hope of returning to their country rests for these people upon the overthrow' of the Axis power. But, the way to the recovery of their homeland is long indeed. . The hope of re-establishing national life is still strong in the minds of the people of the over-run countries. It is this persistent hope which buoys them up and offsets the war weariness that must weigh heavily upon their spirits. But the people of the over-run countries are still nations in being; they have governments operating and keeping their national organisation alive. Also they are. fighting as organised units ? . le Allied armies and as individual underground operators inside the occupied countries. In Norway, Denmark. Holland belgium and France, and also in stricken Poland and oppressed Czechoslovakia, the underground workers are waiting for the opport ♦nties to present themselves, and these occasions are immediately seized and destructive work carried out. Living desperately these people enter into the fifth year of the war with renewed hope that the end will soon come. They are waiting anxiously for the hour when the final effort shall be launched against the foe. Then, when victory is finally achieved, another set of problems will immediately be presented for solution. t vill be idle to contemplate a, general disarmament, leaving one country the opportunity to steal a march upon the. rest of Europe or of the world and once again dominate the smaller nations and compel the larger States to engage, in a defensive war. A woi Id organisation of civilisation demands a world defensive system for its protection, and even while some concessions in the n after of State sovereignty will be involved, it will be necessary, . ie small nations are to continue their separate existence, for this international co-ordination of living to he achieved. Europe has not bred nationalities out of spites, but out of and'’in P th? al Europe is the continent of peninsulas, of +1 ? r lns “ lantlef 5 cultures have developed which, because rich „ ' VerSC f ; ha ™ c ; ter of each - life has become the rich human product that it is.

IriiiM ci 11 .'V at .y ral for thc P°°l ,le of Russia to look to the L nited States for its examples because each of these two countries pe‘„“, hT.S"? «< P t ! le function of Europe, however, to provide the ° “ md if U.i","? ° f •!>"“'“>»» >»<l »I »!■»• eo-ortiualed a e not to be denied: it implies that the national possessions of »“x: a * j! ■I;';; tw Place in world economy shall be preserved to’them for all