The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1940-08-01

us dangerously QOClle-Sneep uTlVeH ny
any wolf. But we recognize that in
economic Though not in territoritaD
matters they had a raw deal from
the Allies in 1919, and have since had,
in all matters, rawer one from their
own rulers We realize that, if some
of them are the willing tools of their
tyrant, many others are his victims.
We have ignored repeated breaches of
solemn engagements, to the point, as
our foreign friends told us, of i'm
prudence or cowardice.
Nor, the plain man might continue
do we feel much excitement about that
singularly un-imperial institution call
ed the British empire" The Domin-
ions-very properly-have long been
in the habit of telling us where we
get off. They can secede, and know
they can secede, at any moment they
please without finger being lifted in
Great Britain to stop them, which is
one reason, perhaps why they are
with us in the present war. India
unless we are defeated, in which case
she would presumably he partitioned
between the victors-is plainly going
the same way; the quicker the bet
ter. The Irish Free State remains a
neutral with a German Minister re-
siding TRANQUILITY in Dublin. Not
British dog has barked. There are
scandalous enough chapters in our
history; there are still plenty of black
no ofnh orn-
tidying up. But we see little reason
to think that the steel rods and con-
centration camps of efficient Aryan
rule would mean a change for the bet
ter for the peoples concerned; nor, as
far as can be judged, do those peo-
Piles think so either. Every nation is
afflicted by Heaven with it's own
brand Of fool; and, no doubt, there are
a handful of British megalomaniacs
who alternately amuse and exasperate
their fellowcountrymen, by casting
them for the role Of the lords of Gre
alton. But, if anyone supposes that,
at this time of day, the most bellicose
Of Cabinets-let alone Mr.. Chamber
lain and his troupe of tame cats
could have carried their countrymen
into war to back the fancy of these
Bobadils, he must be living in the
moon.
What then, are the reasons which
have made this war war, not merely
Of the British Government, but of the
British people? They are obvious, ele-
mentary, and commonplace; but to the
men in the workshops and at the front
they seem, though simple, sufficient
We are fighting, they would say, if
, they expressed their convictions
(Which, of course they don't) to pre-
serve a way of life, which we value
above life. We mean to leave it tc
our children, even if, in order to save
it for them, we ourselves must be
knocked out. The nature and quality
Of that way of life can be stated ir
dozen different fashions; indeed
since everyone knows tit had best
perhaps, not be stated at all. Coco
faith; tolerance; respect for opinions
which we do not share; loyalty tt
comrades; mercy to the week; consid
justice for all-the ordinary decencie:
and humanities of intercourse betWeer
: neighbours-these things are clearly
part of it. SO are the power to speal
freely ones own thoughts, to obey
! ones own conscience, to do ones dut!
as one sees it. SO is the right o:
the individual to be protected againS
violence, whether proceeding from
other individuals or from public au
thorities; to live under a government
which he has a voice in making ant
unmakng; to work by all Lawful
!, means to promote the reforms ant
advance the causes which command
. his devotion, however repugnant the!
may be to his rulers. So, finally, arr
relations between states sufficient.
frank, honest and stable to permi
ordinary men and women to live, work
bring up their families, and maxi
what contribution they can to .ou
common human heritage, withou
knowing that at any moment, tn
ambitions of some criminal or neu
rotic, who has seized the controls o
; the frightful machinery of war, ma.
shatter in an hour all they have spen
their lives in building; obliterate thei
. villages and towns; scatter their child
rem in flight before merciless invaders
and leave them no choice but to sub
nit to soul destroying despotism, o
= to lose their lives in resisting it. w
y are, Of course, fighting to defend ou
=, own country against horrors of tina
: kind, and we are not ashamed of do
. ing So But we think that we are ais
; defending certain simple moralitie
: the systematic and deliberate defianc
: of which, as they are now detied b.
- the Germany of Herr Hitler, make
> life uncomfortable to men who know
; what freedom means. 1t is not for u
!, to say whether we are right or wrong
= But it is with that conviction that w
are fighting, and shall continue t
fight.
1t would be foolish to pretend tha
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