Aug. 5.
M. Yvon Delbos's warning against the danger of engaging in new crusade for ideals in Europe J|—a crusade which would inevitably lead to war" faithfully echoes; {the advice which Charles James Fox vainly endeavoured to press upon his fellow-countrymen at the time of the French Revolution nearly 150 years ago. William Pitt, the Prime Minister of the day, was of the same opinion as his great opponent, but the apprehension of the English propertied classes at the course of events in France over bore his Sudgment. Fox, perceiving the feonsequences of this yielding popular clamour, even though the formidable figure of Burke gave it apparent respectability, outspokenly condemned what he described as "a species of crusade against freedom in the interests of despotism." Macau'ay, in his classic biographical sketch of Pitt's career, asserted that the higher and middle classes of England were animated by zeal not less fiery than that of the crusaders who raised the ery of Dens yuit at Clermont, The Prime Minister could not avert the catastrophe:
As Pitt was in front of his fellows, and towered high above them, he seemed to lead them. But in fact he was violently pushed on by them, and had he held back but a little more than he did, would have been thrust cut of their way or trampled under their feet.
Pitt fell between two stools. He could not adhere to his judgment land stand with Fox in opposing the public feeling. He did boldly accept. the forthright aggressiveness which Burke proposed, but he tried to find a middle course, Tt led to war just the same but the counsels of indecision made it disastrous. To quote Macaulay again:
He was a over of peace and freedom, driven, by a stress against which it was hardly "possible for any will or any intellect to strug ile, out of the course to which his inclinations pointed, and for which his abilities and acquirements fitted him, and forced into a. policy repugnont to his feelings and unsuited {o his talents, Every British schoolboy knows that passage. British statesmen, membering their fifth form days, are probably applying its lessons in their sympathetic attitude toward the French Government's note on the desirability of avoiding outside interference with the course of events in Spain.
Tt cannot be said that all British politicians in recent years have been sedulously mindful of this principle, The Russian Revolution was been a fruitful source of crusading zeal in England, whether on one side or the other. Similar tendencies have emerged from the reaction of. British thought to the rise of Fascism in Italy and Nazi-dom in Germany. Whatever may be said of the blind indulgence bestowed by the British Labour Party and affiliated schools opinion on Soviet policy and achievements, it is fully matched by acrobatic' agility with which certain "right-wing" elements in British polities have found every thing lovely in the garden of Signor Mussolini or Herr Hitler. The League of Nations may have the defects so perseveringly exposed by its critics, but it at least does not countenance the "erusad-Ing zeal" which animates some of the "pinks", "browns" and "blacks"
the chromatic scheme of English polities to-day. Membership of the League demands a certain toler~ ance which, is unfortunately absent from the mental equipment of the Merusader".. It is significant, that, to-day when the League's authority its lowest stage, the danger of Europe being torn by dissension over rival ideals is most acute, The League itself has suffered, for there is little doubt that the' controversy over Abyssinia was in no small measure complicated by the vehement antagonisms raging round the merits or delinquencies of Fascism. So some of the support which the League secured for its unavailing restraint of Italy was justifiably suspect, and much of the opposition was no less tainted with political prejudice.
The bitter struggle in Spain between the Government, loosely based on the incoherent will of the "Popular Front" and the rebels who have managed to achieve con siderable solidarity by adoption of the Fascist technique, has brought Europe to a critical point in this crusading fervour. In recent months prominent members of the British Labour Party have strongly espoused the cause of the medley of parties which now range themselves behind the Spanish Government, There is considerable sympathy among some Conservatives for the rebels, whose brief tenure of office in October 1934, led to excesses in no whit less reprehensible than those ascribed to their opponents. Italian opinion erys-tallied with special strength because of the system under which it exists, is overwhelmingly against the present Spanish Government. In Germany, more restraint is shown, Obviously the present regime under Herr Hitler is not sympathetic with the "left-wing" Government at Madrid, but in spite of certain reports fo the contrary, it seems that Germany is maintaining a correct attitude, as indeed are the British and French Governments. There is a difference for, whereas there can be no room in Germany for vocal championship of what [would there be regarded as a Communist Government, strong sections of opinion both in Great Britain and in France are prepared to express themselves on one side or the other. Nevertheless it is to be hoped that Great Britain will be able effectively to ce-operate with France—and perhaps Germany—in maintaining a proper abstention from interference with the domestic affairs of a friendly nation, The threat fo such a policy comes at
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.