Evening star., 1940-08-20
Nv IRE Associated Press.


today to the House Of Commons fol-
lows:
Almost year has passed since the
war began. 1t is natural for us,
therefore, to pause on our journey
at this milestone and survey the
dark, wide field. 1t is also useful
to compare the first year OF this
second war against German aggres-
sion with its forerunner a quarter
of century ago.
Although this war is, in fact, only
a continuation of the last, very great
differences in its character are ap-
parent. In the last war millions of
men fought by hurting enormous
masses of steel at one another. Men
and shells was the cry and pro-
digious slaughter was the conse-
quence.
In this war nothing of this kind
has yet appeared. 1t is a conflict
of strategy. of organization, of tech
nical operations, science, mechanics
and morale.
The British casualties in the first
IL months of the Great War
amounted to 365,O00. In this war
British killed, wounded, prisoners
and missing. including civilians, are
about $4,000, but of these a large
proportion are alive as prisoners of
war. Throughout all Europe for
one man killed or wounded in this
first year perhaps five were killed
or wounded in 19l4-15.
Decisions Most Profound
OF Any Since Barbaric Times.
The slaughter is but a fraction,
but the consequences to the bellig-
erentS have been even more deadly
We have seen great countries with
powerful armies dashed out of CO.
herent existence in few weeks. We
have seen the French Republic and
the renowned French Army beaten
into complete and total submission
with less than the casualties which
they suffered in any one of half a
dozen of the battles of l9l4-18.
The entire body-it might almost
seem at times the soul of France
has succumbed to physical effects
lncomparably less terrible than
those which were sustained with
fortitude and undaunted willpower
25 years ago.
Although up to the present the
loss of life has been mercifully
diminished the decisions reached in
the course Of the struggle are even
more profound upon the fate of
nations than anything which has
ever happened since barbaric times.
"MoveS Now Made on Scientific
Boards in Fearful Chess Game"
Moves are made upon scientific
and strategic boards, advantages
are gained by mechanical means as
the result of which scores of mil
lions of men become incapable of
further resistance or Judge them
selves incapable of further resist
al &c and fearful game of chess
proceeds from check to mate by
which the unhappy players seem
to be inexorably bound.
There is another and far more
obvious difference from 1914. The
whole of the warning nations are
involved-not only soldiers, but the
entire population-men, women and
children.
The fronts are everywhere. The
trenches are dug in the towns and
the streets. Every village is forti-
fed. Every road is barred
The front line runs through the
factories. The workmen are SOL
diers, with different weapons, but
the same courage.
There seems to be every reason
to believe that this new kind of
war is well suited to the genius and
resources of the British nation and
empire, and that once We get prop
erly equipped and properly started
a war of this kind will be more
favorable to us than the sombre
mass slaughters of the Somme and
Passchendaele.
"Total War Suits Us
Since We Are United"
If it is a case of whole nations
fighting and suffering together
that ought to suit us, too, because
we are the most united of all the
nations. Because we entered the
war upon the national will and with
our eyes open, because we have been
nursed in freedom and individual
responsibility and are the products,
not of totahtarian uniformity, but
of tolerance and variety.
If all these qualities are turned,
as they are being turned, to the
arts of war, we may be able to
show the enemy quite lot Of
things they have not thought of
yet.
Since the Germans drove out the
Jews and lowered their technical
standards. our science is definitely
ahead of theirs.
Our geographical position, the
command of the sea and the friend
ship of the United States, enables
us to draw resources from the whole
world and to manufacture weapons
of war of every kind, but especially
of the superfine kinds, on scale
hitherto practiced only by Nazi Ger
many.
1--WE Must Prepare
For Campaigns of 1941-2."
Hitler is now sprawled over
Europe. Our offensive springs are
being slowly compressed, and we
must resolutely and methodically
prepare ourselves for the campaigns
Of 194l and 1912.
Two or three years are not long
time, even in our short, precarious
lives. They are nothing in the his
tory of nation.
And when we are doing the finest
thing in the world, and have the
honor to be the sole champion Of
the liberty of all Europe, we must