Evening star., 1927-11-27
Baldwinism a Danger to the World

other. DO people realize the significance of
this? Neither country has, for example
educational organization adequate to its needs
and opportunities, and yet vast sums being
squandered, upon the advice of military and
naval experts" on military and naval prepara-
tons that bringing these two countries,
with the same language, common culture
and long tradition of mutual forbearance,
more and more into the attitude of armed
rivals. The Baldwin government has its
excuses for its failure at Geneva. 1t puts the
blame the American representatives. But
who wants it's excuses? Its failure is crime.
Thirdly, we have the Russian muddle. For
amount Of espionage and propaganda not
much If at all greater than that normally
practiced by all the chief governments of the
world-a publication like Asia, for example
published in New Hampshire, is far more
efficient anti-imperialist propaganda than
anything the Russians have ever done-the
Russian representatives in London were eX'
PEELED in the most insulting manner and the
premises of the Russian trade delegation
hureled. Ministers like Lord Birkenhead and
Mr.. Churchill revicd the regime in Russia
unpardonably. What the results Trade
is broken off. A market particularly desirable
for the manufacturers of Great Britain is
more less closed. The world in general
and Russia in particular impressed with
the idea that Great Britain is the enemy
of the Soviet government.
x x
Naturally that government does its best to
retaliate. What would YOU do if you were a
Russian? We British "obge' the Russian
government to press with whatever propa.
ganda il conducts against us in Asia-in
Turkey, China and India especially. What else
can you imagine it doing? And it was totally
unnecessary to stimulate this hostility and
embitter this enemy. The antagonism was
dying down. Intercourse was increasing.
Trade improving.
Now all that has been put back. The
British have grimaced threats at Russia until
now there is an active propaganda in Russia
to prepare that people for the attack the bus-
terings of such ministers Mr.. Churchill and
the home secretary seem to forebode. And
Britain trains highly mechancalized expedi-
tonary force So behind Britain and central
Asia, in the heart of Europe and the
Atlantic the specter of war becomes more
reatening, more substantial, less of phan-
tom and more of a possibility with every
month of this governments rule. Throughout
the world the present British government has
been evoking the war idea and the war spirit.
X y X
I will say nothing of the social this
government has waged at home. Grave as
it is. it is dwarfed by the monstrous dangers
of the international situation / will not say
that the British government wants WARMTH
two possible exceptions among its members.
But it is stupid; its stupidity is that sort of
mental in1eXbty which makes men inadapt.
able to new circumstances. 1t goes on upon
the old diplomatic, militarist nationalist and
competitive lines that carried Europe so inev.
itably to the smash of 1914. and it has not
the imagination to see plainly how surely it
drives to another smash. If the present British
government remains in office for another five
years that smash believe will come
am not lndulging here in single ha nded
prophecy. What am writing here is realized