Evening star., 1933-11-05

warfare, in whatever cause, is be-
trayal of civilized ideas, and that the
intelligence of the modern mind Is
capable of abandoning that way of ar
gument if the old men will only die off
before they have quite arranged the
overestimating the intelligence of their
own generation!
Labor groups in England and the
Trade Union Council have pledged
themselves utterly to resist any CO.
operation in a new European war. They
will declare general strike If it Is
forced upon the nation by any treaty
or alliance calling youth to the shambles
in some quarrel between France or
Germany with which they are not con-
cerned, as they believe.
Labor Desperately Earnest.
Labor leaders are in desperate ear
nestness about this. and 1t is perhaps
the one passionate conviction which is
shared by all the Left parties in Eng
land. which otherwise are much divided
by political differences and methods.
On the other hand, the Labor party
in the House of Commons and many
labor men outside, including intellectual
pacifists like Prof Laski and Sir Nor
man Angel, would, and do, advocate a
resort to arms, as far as I understand
them, in preventive war by which
all peace-loving nations would join up
to restrain any other nation whatever
from disturbing the peace Of the world
by mad-dog action. They are advo-
Gates of an international code of Justice
with an international police force be-
hind it-an ideal from which We are
still distant.
In addition to pacif1st and political
groups in Great Britain there is an
immense body of public opinion which
has sworn allegiance to the principles
of the League of Nations and regards
with horror any combination Of cir
cumStanceS which would drag young
men to the same Eattlefelds in which a
million men-their fathers or their elder
brothers-lie buried in recent graves.
England is at the present time hostile
to any war adventure.
What about France? Most people
outside France imagine. without evi-
dence, that the French nation is almost
eager to invade Germany If q good
preteXt arises for preventive" war.
That may be true of French generals.
who believe that if war must come
with Germany-aS they think II must
now is better time than later. That
opinion is shared, no doubt. by tradi-
tional minds ,. and by eonside5able a pie
D0dy OF pubic opinion lfTToTlHd W
their newspapers into the belief that
Germany is getting ready for a new
invasion
Youth Thinks Differently.
But it is certainly not shared by the
radical and socialist groups who are
followers of NJ Herriot, M. Daladter
and M. Blum. Nor is it shared by
masses Of young men in France who re-
member the sufferings of the last war.
It is very remarkable that during the
last few years under the leadership of
NJ. Herriot. now out of the political
arena for a little while, unless he Is
back before this article is published,
French public opinion has swung
steadily toward more liberal attitude
discuss on merit even such thorny
question as the Polish Corridor.
M. Herriot's plan of disarmament,
fantastic in some of its details, but
bold and courageous in its scheme Of
general security based upon an inter-
national army under the control of the
League, would have been regarded as
reasonable some years earlier, but was
accepted as reasonable plan by the
nations as a whole At least it was
rot denounced outside the ranks of his
political opponents.
There was a steady advance in the
desire to meet Germany with reason
and justice until public opinion was
shocked by the triumph of Hitlerism
and the brutal speeches of its leaders.
There was, of course, an instant recoil.
The militarists said, I'VE told you So"
Old fears and hatreds rushed back.
Propaganda Renewed.
Many papers began new propa-
ganda dictated by the foreign office or,
worse still, by the steel industries. Fear
of a new war Is dominant in the French
mnid today. and nothing that Germany
towards friendship and reconciliation
will have any effect upon minds OBJ
sessed with the need of additional Sc
curity.
France as a whole is not prepared
to grant Germany equality of status
in armed power. That Disarmament
Conference was bound to break down
on that point, having regard to the
spirit in Germany which would no
longer tolerate continual delay and
further humiliation.
But even in France-especially in
France-the younger mind is at work.
Every month lately there have been
court martials of young men Of good
class refusing military service. They
give their reason as moral gesture
against politicians who fail to establish
peace. They avow themselves to be
paciflsts looking forward to comrade-
ship of youth across the frontiers. There
are groups of these young men who,
even since the arrival of Hitlerism, en-
deavor to understand the minds Of
German Fascists and to thrash out IN
debate the problems and passions which
may lead to war again.
New Paper Aids Move.
There is now a remarkable paper,
called Notre Temps, which publishes
the reports of these meetings between
young France and young Germany and
advocates friendship. or at least intelli-
gent intercourse between them.
Before the end of the World War,
only Is years ago, there were mutinies
in French divisions because of the end
less slaughter commanded by generals
whose plans of attack were ruthless.
Millions of men who had been told that
they were fighting a war to end war
came home mutilated in their bodies,
but resolute to carry out that pledge
by allegiance to different ideals of life.
Many Of these men are still alive. They
still tell the things they saw and suf-
fered
Is French youth lusting for a new
war? The idea is preposterous. Except
in defense of French civilization-their
own wives and children-French youth
will not march as one man. When the
bugles call there will be absenteeS An
unnecessary war, concoted by politi-
clans, would be resisted by civil strife,
though all men will fight for their own
homes and hearths If it comes to that.
German Youth Intoxicated.
And now in Germany, what of this
marching, singing, shouting youth? Are
they out for war? Do they want it?
Are they eager to invade France again?
1 think that if they were called upon to