THE KINGDOM OF HELL

Hokitika Guardian, 31 August 1918, Page 1

THE KINGDOM OF HELL

In “General von Sneak” (Plodder, 2S 6d net) Mr Robert Blatchford lias stated the case tor a vigorous prosecution of the war with such knowledge, conviction and lorce, that this book should be in every hand It shows in the highest degree the art of the great writer, which is to simplify everything, putting the arguments in the clearest, briefest, and most effective form, an art that is only found where there is intense moral earnestness behind it. Mr Blatchford has proved in the past that he is not afraid to break away from the old party catchwords and to think for himself. Plere are some of his telling sentences, each of which is worthy to be remembered :

***** We do not want to take anything from Germany except the power and the means to do us harm. If a highwayman steals a horse and attacks us, are we. when we have overcome the highwayman, to give him back his horse? Germany puts her trust in Blood and Iron, and only by belter blood and better iron, and not by soft speeches and mild advances, can she be defeated. Look at The Thing we are fighting. Is it not vile and bloody' and bestial and cruel. It js all that-; and it is also formidable and strong. Our watchword in war must be Victory, in peace Safety. There is no peace party in Germany. As it is with the religion of Brute force, so it is with the diplomacy, and the peaceful penetration and the cult of frightfulness. There is in Germany a bitter black rage and disappointment that the Germans have not been able to excel every deed of frighttnlness by a frenzied orgy of carnage and incendiarism and abominable outrage upon the British people. One would think that if a British boycott of German trade is looked upon by Germans as very bad for Germany 7, then it ought to be very good for us. If Germany so dreads a boycott it is not because it will hurt us, but because it will hurt her.

There is nothing dearer for an Englishman than cheap things from Germany. ' ***** Yes, as Mr Blatchford says in his last chapter, which rises to a singu lar and moving eloquence, The Thing must be fought and defeated. It is the Kingdom of Hell against the cause of justice and truth and mercy 7 , and he does well to remind the nation that the man who stands aside in such a struggle or does not throw into it his whole strength is a traitor to right as well as to his country.