The Evening Star THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1939. WAR ASPECTS.

Evening Star, Issue 23371, 14 September 1939, Page 10

The Evening Star THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1939. WAR ASPECTS.

The war against Nazi aggression has hardly begun yet, but some facts suggest that it has not begun so badly for the Allies as it might easily have done. In the first place, thanks to repeated warnings by Herr Hitler that no reasoning or persuasions would be allowed by him to prevent it, Great Britain is more prepared for waging this war than she was for the last. The persistence with which the Nazi rulers have displayed themselves as the enemies of all decency, as well as liberty, has secured that in the cause of resistance to them there are no dissentients, and that applies to the whole Empire. The Englishman—- “ employing the word,” as someone has said, “ as a. collective for everyone between the Faroes and Port Pegasus”:—who argues about everything, is agreed upon one thing, that Nazism must be stayed. A great advantage must be gained, in comparison with the last trial of strength, in that Great Britain, from the beginning, is raising her armies this time by conscription, which means raising them systematically and not in a haphazard way. That will enable her to use her forces economically with the least delay, and there will be no real breach with any principle of the past, because in the past, in any real pinch, the liberty of fit men not to servo their country has never been enjoyed. It was considered a great feat twentyfive years ago when, in twelve days from the declaration of war, the British Expeditionary Force—the First Four Divisions—described as the best-trained and equipped army Britain had ever put into the field, was landed in France. TJiat speed has apparently been surpassed on this occasion, and although British- troops are not yet in action, it may be expected that they will soon be giving a good account of themselves. The response to New Zealand’s recruiting call has been magnificent, showing that the same spirit thrills to the furthest ends of the Empire.

TJie fog of war has never been more dense than in the last few days. The Poles have had to bear, with the least assistance, the first brunt of the stupendous Nazi war machine, as, from their geographical position and in the absence of a Maginot Lino of their own, it was well known to them that they would be required to do. The Poles have been badly battered, but to commiserations that might bo offered them on that account they would probably reply in the words of Brer Rabbit when he was thrown in the briar patch, “ born and bred in a briar patch, Brer Pox; born and bred in a briar patch.” Now it is reported that the longed-for rains are at length descending and roads in Poland becoming impassable, which may be worth more than army corps to the sorepressed defenders faced with heavily mechanised equipment which will not move easily in quagmires. Of good omen for the co-ordination of the Allies’ war efforts is the fact that already, within ten days of the outbreak of war, the first meeting of their Supreme Council —Prime Ministers and war leaders—has been held in France. There should be no repetition this time of what has been called, with reference to 1914, “ the first conflict.” Sir John French, British Comniander-in-Chief, wanted to ask General Lanrezac, Commander of France’s Fifth Army, if the Germans were going to cross the Meuse at Huy, and could not pronounce the word ” Huy.” ” Tell the Marshal,” said the petulant Frenchman, when the Inquiry had been translated for him after the third attempt, “ that in my opinion the Germans have merely gone to the Meuse to fish.” The British Army was, not highly esteemed by French professionals at that early time. Their opinion of it did not take long to change.