The Gisborne Herald. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED "THE TIMES.” MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1939. “RIGHT WILL PREVAIL”

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20033, 4 September 1939, Page 4

The Gisborne Herald. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED "THE TIMES.” MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1939. “RIGHT WILL PREVAIL”

Only one answer on the part ot Britain and of France to Germany's flagrant refusal to desist from disturbing tiie peace of Europe was possible. It could not be further delayed and has now, in no uncertain terms, been given. To-day, brave little Poland, which had not flinched when so criminally invaded, but which, at once, set up a noble resistance, no longer fights alone. Behind her stand the huge defence resources of the two great democracies of Western Europe, the moral support of all the other freedomloving nations, including the United States, whose sympathy is, happily, far from latent. Even if Britain and France had not guaranteed , Poland’s independence before she became the latest intended victim of the brutal Nazi policy of subjugating neighbours by violence if intimidation should fail, they could not (and would not) have any longer remained aloof whilst Poland, which holds the same high ideals of freedom and of justice as they do, was, in her turn, being ruthlessly laid waste. Upon this the second occasion on which callous Germany has, within the comparatively short period of twenty-five years, shown no hesitation in plunging the major portion of Europe into all the horrors and miseries of war, she need not expect again to escape, when completely crushed (as she so thoroughly deserves to be) with a peace such as that of Versailles, which, unfortunately, proved no peace. The millions of lives which had to be sacrificed on Germany’s account between 1914 and 191(1 must also again come into a reckoning up with her. As was made so perfectly clear by Mr. Chamberlain from his place in the House of Commons yesterday, the new struggle has been entered upon by the Allies not merely to rescue Poland but also, at the same time, to free Europe for ever from the dire scourge of Hitlerism. There can, therefore, be no letting up on the part of the Allies this time until that abominable form of tyranny is stamped out, Europe restored and civilised order established in all parts. It may prove a gigantic task, enormous sacrifices may be entailed, and the end may be afar. But the challenge was one that had to be taken up in humanity’s name.

The barbaric way in which HenHitler.and his war-lords engineered the rape of Poland will go down in history as displaying features even worse than those which characterised the ex-Kaiser’s crime in violating Belgium’s neutrality on the eve of the past Great War. It is a revolting story, which will make generations of Teutons yet unborn blush with shame for their Fatherland. No God-fearing man—no matter what his nationality —will find in it a single detail which will not shock him. That Reichstag speech in which Herr Hitler attempted to defend Germany is never likely to be forgotten by anyone belonging to a free nation who happened to hear it broadcasted. In every sentence there was blatantly shown what rule by dictatorship really means. His disclosure of the contents of his political “will” in which he indicated that he had appointed a successor to himself in the event of his death was eloquent proof of the lack of freedom in Germany to-day and of his design that the people should be kept in political fetters. There is no need to repeat the whole of the facts relating to Germany’s machinations against Poland. To-day, they are as an open book to all the nations. Nor does it require to be pointed out that the correspondence in connection with the Anglo-German negotiations convicts Herr Hitler and his accomplices at, every point as being men whose word time and again, has proved absolutely worthless. Little wonder it was that, during the historic and moving address in which Mr. Chamberlain told the world why Britain and France could no longer stay their hands, his voice vibrated with justifiable indignation as he went on to stress that, in all his dealings with them, he found that they were men who did not scruple to break their promises and their agreements! It will now be appreciated that, whilst he was negotiating with Germany over Poland, Mr. Chamberlain’s mind must have been haunted by the dread that her rulers would again prove, as treacherous as they had done over Czechoslovakia. And such was the case. Let it not. be overlooked that, at Munich, only twelve months ago, Fieri- Hitler told Mr. Chamberlain that, when the Sudenten section of Czechoslovakia became incorporated in Germany, her territorial ambitions in Europe would then be satisfied and that, in regard to any subsequent difficulties that might arise, he would pledge Germany’s wprld that they would be resolved peacefully. Yet, within only a very brief period, Germany had also thieved the rest of Czechoslovakia! If Poland had been left unaided, she, in turn, could not have escaped the Nazi net.

What must be most heartening to the Allies is that they find themselves on this occasion fully prepared to meet the grave menace of armed tyranny created by Germany. When the first Great War broke out, it was, unquestionably, the mighty British Navy which chiefly kepi Germany in check. As if by magic, German mercantile shipping disappeared from the world’s seaways and her navy went into hid-