Evening star., 1933-11-05

British and Belgian forces through
out the World War, reDieUS the
situation and points ,Uhere hope for
continued peace lies.
BY SIR PHILIP GIBBS, X. B. E.
7 ONDON-Europe-an the world
is still demon-haunted by the
fear of war For the PAST nine
IL months. advancing in intensity,
this fear has dominated the
newspaper press and private conversa-
ton. When Germany broke of from
the Disarmament Conference and aban-
doned the League of Nations shudder
passed through the soul of the world.
1t is then coming again-a new
conflict of nations in which another
generation of youth will go down and
the ruin of civilization will be made
certain?
How can we get on with the ordinary
Job of life, look forward to economic
recovery, establish any kind of peace In
our own minds when there is this fear
lurking behind the bluest sky that in a
little while-a few years at most-the
reek of poison gas will be in our lungs,
the roofs over our heads will be rent by
high explosives, and our children's
bodies will be mutilated? In millions
of homes in European countries those
thoughts lurk in anxious minds
Doubts Immediate Danger.
Now is there any reality behind all
this fear, or is it a neuroSiS frCm which
We are all suffering because of disorder
ed nerves and exploited by sensation
loving journalists? Who is going to
war? What nations are ready to fight?
What people are willing to fight know
ing the ruin and agony caused by the
last experience, no more than Is years
ago?
am convinced personally that there
Is no immediate danger of war in
Europe and that We have respite OF
several years. For a week or two after
the triumph of Hitlerism in Germany
there was the Immediate risk that moba
of marching boys might have recroSsed
the Polish Corridor or done other acts OF
passionate folly which would have put
the French army on the move and lit
the fires which shoulder across many
frontiers. For a week or two one held
ones breath. But even at that time OF
excitement and exaltation-and fair
there was sufficient sanity in France
and Germany To keep passion within
bounds, at least as far as that.
esRg fsaRse but ot not GOOD enough give
one any sense Of security, lnele u
indeed no sense of security in the mind
OF Europe today and nd if t one ,s Looks KS only
and what is happening in the foreign
Offices and their propaganda depart
ments. there is only one conclusion
possible. We are advancing steadily to-
ward war.
Everything that happened before 1914
g., Canrpt alliances
for a new balance Of power are being
arranged behind the scenes. Espionage
has resumed business, and spies are be-
ing arrested in frontier towns Inc
armament manufacturers are getting
busy. War propaganda is at work again
with appeals to honor, fear, national
prestige. security, patriotism Naval
estimates are being revised. Censor.
ship of peace ideals is being frightened
up even in England. Speeches are
suppressed on the radio if they are not
in accordance with foreign Office views
Pupils Have Gas Drill.
In many countries gas-mask drill Is
in the curriculum of schools, and the
spirit of sacrifice for the state is being
preached from platforms and pulpits.
The old hate stuff is being rewritten.
Inflammatory speeches are fully re-
ported.
The Junker mind, strong outside as
we'll as inside Germany. is expressing
its ideas and ideals of blood and IRON
after some years of enforced silence.
Among the tribes of men the tom-tom
is beating in the jungle, and the Wltch
doctors are mouthing their incantations
and the young braves are smearing
themselves with war paint. 1t Is not
a pleasant outlook for humanity and
civilization if one looks only at these
aspects of the world today.
In the East as well as in the West this
inf1amed nationalism is at work sharp
ening weapons for future conflict ana
only playing for time before the strug-
gle. Japan and Russia eye each other
sullenly and troops are on the move TO
strategic points. All hopes in the League
Of Nations, pledges against war. an ao-
vance toward international law, are
fading because of this revival OF faith
in force.
Is there then no hope? Is another
war. or another series of wars, newt
able after few more years OF prepara-
ton?
Thinks Youth May Demur.
There are some facts which should
be examined by those who believe IN
that "inevitability" and by those es-
pecially-the elder minds-who are
thinking in terms of pre-war mentality
and believe that when they give the
orders to march their peoples will obey
I am not so sure of that. I believe
that the younger mind in many coun-
tries has different ideas, different
visions, different ideals Of life. 1t IS
possible that when the commanders
and the major generals issue their re-
cruiting papers there will not be the
same rally of youth as in the days OF
August, 1914. There may be a clVil
war when international war is declared.
Certainly in England there is strong
paciflst movement led by youth itself,
and cutting across all social strata.
know some of those young men VINO
shocked their elders-deliberately-
that vote at oxford in which they regis
tered refusal to fight for King and
country.
What they had in their minds-and
expressed crudely-waS refusal 10 pe
stampeded into war by old slogans; suen
ener-"Your King and country need
you"-when the action Of old states
men. obscessed by fears or believing
war to be an admirable discipline for
youth, would lead, most likely, to the
utter ruin of the country and to the
downfall of the King. They refuse to
be bound by secret treaties to which
they have not consented or to ancient
pledges made by old gentlemen, who, in
their opinion. ought to be dead and
buried.
White Feather Means Courage.
In the last war maiden ladies handed
white feathers to young men not IN
uniform-some of whom had just come
from the front. There is now a society
of young men who distribute white
feathers in advance and wear them as
a badge of courage. Because they are
convinced that plots are afoot to Jockey
them by appeals To false sentiment into
war against people with whom they