With a million men each mobilized in ce and Italy, an unk own Germany, with troops under arm: in Poland, Rumania, and Greece, making an estimated total of 8,000,000 men, and the complete atmosphere of distrust which pervades international politics in Europe, there is every reason for regarding the situation indeed serious. Reports of various troop movements in northern Africa and the general tone of the European Press do nothing to allay the anxiety which being felt, and though during the last few days an easing of tension, created by the sudden descent of Italy upon Albania, is reported tô be noticeable it would be unduly optimistic to believe that there has been any real betterment in the general situation, Indeed it is no exaggeration to liken Europe to a powder magazine which may be set off by the merest spark. Probably if war does come it will eventuate not so much from what appears to be the present trend towards hostilities, but to some completely unrelated incident, as so often happens in circumstances such as the present. It is the unforese which has now to be dreaded, for even though it is reported that there is a growth of the war spirit in Italy that need not necessarily mean that Il Duce is already bent on war. Nor would the existence of a simile: feeling in Germany, which, up to the present, has not been reported, indicate that Herr Hitler is any more disposed to hazard his fortunes and those of his country on the fearful gamble of the arbitrament of war. Nevertheless the chief danger is to be found in the internal conditions of both countries, rather than in the existing external problems. and the great question which remains unanswered is as to how long present conditions in the dictatorships can be allowed to continue without forcing them to desperate courses. The reports which come out of Germany regarding internal circumstances are by no means reassuring. The doctrine of "guns instead of butter" has had serious effects upon the living conditions of the people. The devotion of the whole of th: nation's energy and resources to the building up of an enormous war machine has led to an unbalanced development which daily makes the economic state of Germany more desperate.
If things are any better in Italy they are probably not much. Dictatorships placed in the position of Germany, and Italy cannot give their people the old solatiums of panem et circenses: their financial position does not permit of it. They can, however, lull craying appetites by continual reports of successes. Thus Abyssinia, and then Spain, and now Albania are glories available to offset the sullen discontent and anxiety which felt in Italy; Austria, Sudetenland, Bohemia and Moravia acquisitions by Germany serve to offset the parlous economic plight in which that country finds itself. Germany may have enriched herself by the acquisition of the Czechoslovak gold, its munitions works, and its air fleet, but the inclusion of those territories into the German Reich has done nothing to improve the economic position of the country. Indeed it is a question whether these new territories are at present anything more than additional liabilities to the Reich, and likely to continue so for some time to come. When' these facts are taken into consideration the German and Italian reactions the other hand war may become ne shelters; at a somewhat more distant period what more.distant period ino In our little air-raid shelter. to save the dictatorships themselves, for if At the bottom of the old back-yard, there 's neither bread nor circuses, if the afe and people are called upon to continue their present great sacrifices indefinitely their anr lie a chal, our faithful hound. leaders may one day find the only method of The door can very soon be barred—retaining control will be to launch their coun- When "landlord comes on quarter day tries into war.
War as a weapon in domestic Paos Situs Mrema sano"
countries is not mom is on world. where internal crise At the bottom of the old back-yard! been seen in the offing a healthy war scare om PSM has been the only effective means of keeping In our little air-raid shelter, At the bottom of the old back-yard. the Government in office. At the moment a There IN flee purely fictitious one serves to make the Hastily, average German and Italian content with his Every time the misses si rts bombarding me. lot, but there is no guarantee that a more In our little air-raid shelter, I'm safe from being bruised and scarred; desperate domestic development might oblige But every night I have to quit, the Dictators to force war upon the world as Cos the courting c come and sit—the only means of saving their own politico) In our little a shelter, At the bottom of the old back-yard!
skins,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.