HOPE FOR DEMOCRACY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 March 1939, Page 3

HOPE FOR DEMOCRACY

STRUGGLE AGAINST FASCISM AND COMMUNISM. Strength of mind is as much a necessity as strength of arms in the struggle of democracy against Fascism and Communism. This view is put forward by Mr J. B. Firth in the “Daily Telegraph.” “There is no need to take a despondent, still less a despairing, view of the situation,” he writes, “provided only that the democracies have learned their lesson from the events of last year, which is that they cannot drive away the Devil, like Luther at Warburg, by throwing inkpots at him. That only leaves a nasty mess on the wall, and the wily adversary soon returns. The democracies have ‘great allies,’ in Wordsworth’s noble words, if they are but true to themselves. They are proud to profess high principles and to acknowledge the Rule of Law. They have on their side ‘man’s unconquerable mind’ and the infrangible power of the spirit. They have drawn together in closer understanding and are showing a greater resolution to be firm in defence of the right. Whatever the new year may bring, we can face it cheerfully if we are strong, quit ourselves like men, join heartily in the common service and eschew like poison the hatefulness of extremes.”