DANGERS AHEAD

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 October 1938, Page 7

DANGERS AHEAD

THE RECENT EUROPEAN CRISIS. (To the Editor.)Sir, —Dated September 28, a letter reached me today from my mother, Annie Campbell Hanaghan, who is at present residing at Swindon, Wiltshire. If my mother had emigrated to New Zealand, she would have been described as a “Pommie,” though I rather think she has more mentality in the little -finger of her right hand than is to be found in the complete structure of those persons who make use of the obscure term generally applied to people hailing from the Old Country. Born at Motherwell, Lanarkshire, in the year 1862, my mother never enjoyed educational advantages such as are so freely thrown about nowadays, yet her most recent letter, scarcely three weeks old, would put to shame the best efforts of some of us who describe ourselves as “educated.”

Writing on the European crisis (and the letter may be seen in its original form if necessary),’ my mother says: “I expect you are well acquainted with the latest events in the Old Country, but I can tell you we are very worried. The extent of the preparations in hand gives rise to great concern, but we still hope that trouble may be avoided ... I am writing these lines in case developments may make it impossible to get news through to you if the worst should happen. I will not forget any of you, your wife and children. I will pray for and whatever happens, you will know that we will not lose heart. Elizabeth has to report to London in a day or two for nursing duties, and she is actually glad to be up and doing. She is feeling much better. I hope you will excuse this badly written letter, but I am getting old and a bit shaky. Much love to you all, from your Mother.”

Elizabeth, of whom my mother writes, is one of my five sisters, the youngest of them being Matron of the C.M.S. Hospital at Ngora, Uganda. Elizabeth also belongs to the nursing profession, but about two years ago, when District Nurse for North Kennington, she met' with an appalling motor accident, and lay for nearly twelve months in Guy’s Hospital. The last time I heard from her, which was just before the European crisis, she was to all intents and purposes definitely incapacitated, yet we see her back in the firing-line at the threat of danger' to the Old Country. How the old pioneers must have stirred in their graves. ' To those of your readers who may say that my mother’s letter conveyed an air of hopeless resignation, ■ I defy them to prove that she was wrong. Whether Chamberlain saved Europe is a question which I consider is very much open to doubt. There are people harsh enough to say that Chamberlain is running with Hitler —indeed, this statement was made to me in all seriousness only this very week. Chamberlain, like his father and grandfather before him, believed that the only possible alliance for Britain was with Germany, a state of mind which I have always regarded as being high dangerous. Whatever the truth of the recent crisis, there is no one who can convince me that in comparison with Hitler, Ananias was not the Apostle of Verity. When Chamberlain went to Berchesgardten, I was fool enough to believe that he intended to bang his fist on the table, but now I am sadly disillusioned. That arch prevaricator, Hitler, has stated that he does not want war with Britain. Of course he does not. that is providing he can get what he wants without going to that trouble. He has also stated that he has no further territorial ambitions in Europe, but if anyone can satisfy me that he does not intend to take a cut through Rumania and Hungary, then I am always ready to learn. Whatever course history may take, Hitler’s ultimate aim is the downfall of Britain, and there are dark ahead. Not so long ago, at an Anzac Day service, in the course of the finest address which it has been my lot to hear on that particuhi' day, Mr C. C. Marsack said that there was an indefinable threat coming to Britain, and at the risk of being called gloomy, I venture to say that the forces of darkness are all but lined up against the Old Country, and we have yet to face our greatest trial. We have Russia, representing the Anti-Christ, and can the most clever of us say what is going to happen in that particular corner of the world? There are tremendous problems to be overcome before peace and goodwill is established on earth, and there will be untold suffering before it is accomplished. General Hart, before he went to the East, said in his calm and reasoning way that it was no use blinking the fact. Britain is up against it. And so it is ... we have got to be ready.—Yours, etc.. J. C. HANAGHAN. Masterton, October 18.