Despite all the bombastic boastings of the Nazi leaders the first six months of warfare has in no way improved the German position, while it may safely be said that the Allies have emerged from it very much better than they had reason to expect at the outset of hostilities. Within a few hours of the declaration of war by the Allies the Reich had embarked upon its submarine campaign, taking it up with the same ruthlessness and disregard for international law, and conventions signed within recent years governing conduct in times of war. It was stated that the Allies were better fitted to deal with the U-boat menace than ever before, and events have proved the claims to be true. With all its energies devoted to submarine and mine warfare, the use of the magnetic mine and mine-laying by aeroplane, Germany has failed to secure any results comparable with those of the tragic month of April, 1917. The loss of Allied shipping is small as compared with the amount of tonnage continually at risk, and while, by reason of the convoy system, the number of trips made by each vessel is reduced there is nothing whatever to show that the German attempt at blockade need cause any rear deal of anxiety. On the other hand the German mercantile has been swept from the seas, some of it captured and put into the service of the Allies as an offset to submarine and mine sinkings, while the rest seeks refuge in neutral ports, waiting to make dashes for home with much wanted supplies, and scuttling if they see any danger of falling into the hands of the Allies. The extension of the blockade to German exports has proved highly successful, and, if it is true as Herr Hitler has claimed that Germany must export or die, it must already be in the unenviable position of awaiting the anticipated end to the stranglehold which the Allies have placed upon German economy. It may be a slow process, but the last war showed its inevitability and there is no new development in this one to suggest that it will not make the same contribution to the expected Allied victory.
In considering the claims which the Germans make concerning the damage they allege they have done to the Allies, it is interesting to note that when it comes to figures the Reich handles them just as carelessly as it does other matters where truth is concerned. Thus in connection with the shooting down of a Belgian airman when he was trying to warn a German aeroplane trespass sing over Belgium, the Belgian statement declares that three of their machines took the air to pursue the invader. The Germans profess there were seven, suggesting ratios which could with safety be applied to German claims of success on the one hand and allegations of damage done to the enemy on the other. The German claims concerning alleged successes during the past six months of fighting are so fantastic as to call for no particular official comment, while the German addiction to the untruth is by now so manifest that they fail to carry any conviction whatever. On the other hand the successes of the Allies in the air as well as on the sea are imposing. British aeroplanes nightly make deep raids into Germany, appearing even over Berlin and scattering the "bomphlets" which cause the German officials so much annoyance, and the possession of which leads individuals into trouble. Nightly patrols over the German air bases in Heligoland Bay are reported to-have had the effect of stopping German air raids along the British coast for the purpose of dropping magnet tic mines, and the fact that they can carry out these raids and patrols without let or hindrance throws a significant light upon the German claim to have command of the North Sea. They have, of course, nothing of the sort, and the rapidly growing air strength of the Allies, which by now should have passed that of the enemy, ought, humanly speaking, to ensure that the Germans will never have it. One thing has always to be remembered when considering the allegations of success which the Reich is continually making. The Germans are already subjected to conditions unparalleled in any opposing country, and it is necessary for Herr Hitler and his colleagues to maintain an atmosphere of apparent success for the purpose of bolstering up the morale of a people who must be asking themselves why, if everything is going so well, they are subjected to such irksome restrictions.
This is not to suggest for one moment that German morale is weakening. That may not come for a considerable time yet, but the continual reluctance of the Reich to tell the people the truth, the persistent endeavour to bolster up their spirits in the manner they are doing, are clear indications to most observers that they realize their peril, and are doing their utmost to postpone the evil day. Without undue optimism it may be said that the Allies are doing better than they had any reason to expect at the beginning of the war. The hesitations of Herr Hitler have given them every opportunity to repair any gaps there might have been in their armour six months ago. On land there have been very few and unspectacular developments. In their heavy fortifications the opposing armies await new moves, but even here it has to be remembered that the British Expeditionary Force has been allowed to get into position, given time to call up and train reinforcements, and is generally in a much better position than it was in 1914 when it crossed the Channel and was immediately thrown into the fray. The unanimous rallying of the individual members of the British Commonwealth to the defence of democracy and the quiet determination shown in Britain and France to see this thing through to the end, are factors on the spiritual side of the situation which should not be overlooked in arriving at any assessment of the position after this semester of fighting. On the sea the Allies have demonstrated their complete superiority over Germany, in the air the German insistence upon superiority is proved to have no substance whatever, and while on land for the moment there may be a stalemate, which the Allies can safely leave for Herr Hitler to seek to break, there is nothing in the situation which should give cause for any anxiety as to the fut&re. Herr Hitler's failure to launch the much thought of blitzkrieg has given the Allies the decided advantage of six months in which to make adequate dispositions to meet whatever threat the future may have, and while it would be the height of stupidity to underestimate the enemy, there is ample ground for viewing the future with a quiet confidence which can be justified, The Civilian "V.C."
, Six months of war has produced as many civilian acts of bravery as military, and not the least distinguished have occurred in the British mercantile marine service, which has borne the prunt of Nazi attacks by submarines, mines and aircraft. Nobody minimizes the losses inflicted on the British merchant fleet and in the struggle which is steadily intensifying more losses are to be expected before an end has been put to enemy action. In the meantime, there are supreme acts of bravery being demonstrated revealing the indomitable courage of the civilians at sea which neither mine, torpedo nor bomb will destroy. An interesting disclosure is that a medal of which hardly anybody has ever heard exists for gallantry and ranks only slightly below the Victoria Cross in offücial estimation. This is formally called the Medal of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, but its official name is the Empire Gallantry Medal, and anybody winning it is entitled to add the initials rea. after his name. One of the first of these decorations was posthumously awarded to Commander F. R. Jolly, RA who died of wounds after gallant conduct during the German air attack on the destroyer Mohawk. The first impression was that due honour had not been paid until it became known that the EBM., to which little public reference has been made, is actually a borderline award with the v.c. While this was the first naval award, the new medal, unlike the v.c, may be awarded to civilians and any air raids on Britain would probably provide opportunities for such awards, although a goodly portion of British civilian sailors are already daily "in the trenches," so to speak. According to a Naval correspondent, while the EGM. is regarded as the most important award next to the Victoria Cross, the Order of the British Empire is to be regarded as next important to the Order of the Bath in making naval awards, a c.r. will come to be regarded as only slightly less valuable than the The Finnish Reverse With the loss of Viipuri the Finns have suffered their first major reverse of the campaign, but they have at the same time covered themselves with great glory for the gallant manner in which they have been facing overwhelming odds. They continue to fight every foot of the ground of their retreat in their determination to make the Russians pay heavily for whatever advances they may be able to secure. It is a wise policy, for the price which they have made the Soviet troops pay for the small success they have achieved is one which should shock the Russians once the facts of the case become known in Russia itself, as inevitably they must, In that connection the Finns are striking a severe blow to the prestige of M. Stalin which may or may not have future repercussions upon the internal politics of Soviet Russia, and the wounds which they are inflicting may prove far more serious than at the moment they appear.kely to do. If the Finns can manage to hold up the Russian forces during the next two weeks they should have the advantage of further falls of snow and subsequent thaws which will impose enormous handicaps upon the Russian mechanized forces, and afford the Finns another much needed breathing space. When it is remembered that the Finnish forces, small compared with the hordes which have been thrown against them, have because of their numbers, had very little opportunity of relief, the manner in Which they have fought day after day without respite speaks volumes not only for the courage but for the stamina of these men. They will, it is reported, take up positions in a line behind Viipuri the strength of which is at present a matter of speculation, but if they can hold their enemy off until nature comes to their aid again, their position may not be so desperate as it would at first blush appear to be. There is, it must be admitted, not over much ground for optimism, but if they can hold on until the thaw comes, and the lakes again become the natural defence they were before they were frozen over, they may yet have an opportunity of offering such resistance as may make the Kremlin wonder after all whether victory will be worth the huge sacrifices the Soviet troops are being called upon to make, The lessons to be learned from the Finnish campaign permit of the situation in western Europe being regarded with no little confidence. The Maginot Line manned by troops equal in numbers at present, and with a potential superiority should offer a greater obstacle to the Germans than has the Mannerheim Line, excellent as that has been, and it justifies the opinion that the Allies can afford to wait until Herr Hitler chooses to endeavour to force the issue when it may be expected that a successful resistance will inflict untold damage upon the aggressor.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.