The calling up of men up to 25 years of age in Great Britain, and the announcement that by the end of the year she will have five million men under arms, is not only indicative of the manner in which the Empire is playing its part in this war, but also of the enormous potential strength which still remains to be tapped. What has already been achieved results from the failure of Germany to let loose the blitzkrieg immediately after the declaration of war, or if not then, after the reduction of Poland. General Sir Edmund ironside, is reported to have said that the Allies "should be heartily grateful that they enjoyed seven months in which to perfect their armies." They are in a position now to await with confidence any onslaught which the German high command may contemplate making on them. That Herr Hitler did miss the bus completely as the General claims is becoming clearer every day, and the inactivity to which the German army is condemned, together with the increasing hardships attendant upon the prolongation and stiffening of the blockade may be expected to have a very definite effect upon the moral of the men, idle at the front, and the population no longer having tales of victory handed out to them. Whether Sir Edmund is right in insisting that the German army must do something, if its moral is not to crack, may be at the moment a matter of opinion, but there cannot be very much doubt that if the present state of affairs continues very much longer; the Reich may have serious domestic problems of its own to solve. The initiative is still in Herr Hitler's hands, but it is gradually passing to the Allies, not in any positive sense, but because the passage of time is in itself forcing Herr Hitler to make decisions. Thus the maintenance of the present state of affairs, and the stiffening of the blockade are factors already pressing upon the Reich, and it can only be a question of time until Herr Hitler will be forced into greater activity than he is at present demonstrating.
Reports are current that the Reich dreads the idea of having to face another winter in a state of war. The abnormal winter through which Europe has passed naturally adds to that dread, and there is ground for believing that Herr Hitler will seek to force the pace in the hope of a quick victory before the cold again settles over Europe. The old threat of widespread bombing of Great Britain and France, the boast that what Germany did to Poland can be done again and all the other menaces which have been made against the Allies simply fail to curdle their blood, for the simple reason that the Allies naturally ask what Germany thinks they will be doing once she starts to carry out her threats. It is the knowledge that they can mete out just as good as they receive which keeps Herr Hitler in a state of hesitancy. The Allies have definitely proved to the world at large that there is not one part of Germany which their aeroplanes cannot reach, and in their determination to win this war they are fixed in their purpose to exchange blow for blow with little extra to boot. The idleness which has thus been thrust upon Germany is reported already to be having its effect. Neutral correspondents report that German public opinion is becoming impatient for a decisive blow to be struck against the Allies. Nazi leaders, however, no longer assert that it is up to the Reich to take the initiative, contenting themselves by merely declaring that Germany would make appropriate reply to any initiative taken by the Allies. The vacillation which it thus shown to exist is entirely due to opportunities which the Germans have missed, and realization of the fact that the Allies are daily growing in strength to such an extent that whatever might have been possible seven months ago is no longer so. It would not, however, be wise to expect that deteriorating conditions in Germany have yet reached the stage where sheer desperation will force Herr Hitler to act. It is more to be expected that in the not too distant future he will again embark upon another of his peace offensives, for he would dearly like to extricate himself from the mess into which his megalomaniac ambitions have landed him.
The recent reshuffling of the British Cabinet, the elevation of Mr. Winston Churchill to a position which practically places him ili full control of the prosecution of the war, and the fact that he is a man devoted to the most energetic methods are all indications that a profound change is about to come over the manner in which the Allies have been conducting the campaign. The tightening of the blockade which is to be confidently expected, even though it might prejudice some of the rights of the neutrals adjacent to Germany, is all part and parcel of a vigorous policy which alone is popular amongst the Allies. As much consideration will be given to the neutrals as possible, but with Germany fighting a totalitarian war, the Allies are forced to follow suit. It will not be necessary for the Allies to sink neutral shipping, or murder members of its inoffensive crews. That can safely be left to the Nazis who apparently delight in so doing. But the Allies will have to stop every leakage of contraband goods into Germany on the one hand, and of exports out of Germany on the other, even if in the process the neutrals are subjected to no small amount of inconvenience. It must be apparent to those neutrals who favour the Allied cause, because it is in fact their own, that the quicker this war is brought to a conclusion, in an Allied victory the better will it be for everyone. Consequently the more effective the blockade is made the shorter should be the duration of the war, for that almost wholly depends upon the time when the shortage of those foodstuffs, which are now being used for making war materials instead of nourishing the people, brings about a general realization in Germany of the futility of prolonging the struggle. There are signs that the economic weapon is already having its effect. That is expected to become more imposing as the months go by, and even if a good harvest this year helps Germany to face a second winter, it will only have the effect of postponing the evil day when an under-nourished nation asks itself what is the use of following a bunch of leaders who can neither give them victory nor food enough.
War on the Air It is greatly to be regretted that some person unknown has interfered with a local broadcasting station, and endeavouring to prevent the broadcast of views by a commentator who has acquired a very considerable reputation in Shanghai. It appears that the interference commenced some five or six days ago, and as it was at first confined to the times of Mr. Carroll D. Alcott's broadcasts it is to be assumed it was directed against him personally, and the views which he has been expressing. It is not particularly difficult nowadays to ascertain the locality from which interference may be dispersed, and there is evidence to suggest that it comes from a station north of the Soochow Creek. If as it is believed this is being done because of the trend of Mr. Alcott's comments on municipal matters it is most deeply to be regretted. It is a significant fact that ever since the commencement of the European war there has been some sort of tacit agreement not to interfere with the broadcasts of the various nations at war, despite the fact that it would be very easy to do so. The reasons for this tacit agreement are too clear to need recapitulation here, but they are precisely the same as should apply in Shanghai. It every station emitting political views unacceptable to the owners or controllers of another is to be subjected to this type of interference it takes very little imagination to see that in a very short while conditions on the air would be absolutely chaotic. Already consular representations have been made on the subject, and it is to be hoped that these will lead to something being done to restore the inviolability of the air, and avert a clash of interests in which every station may be found endeavouring to put the others out of business. Political feeling in Shanghai is running high enough as it is, and everything which is likely to exacerbate it should be firmly suppressed. It is not conductive of the best for everyone that things of this sort should be permitted, and it is hoped that action will be taken for the stoppage of a practice which ought never to have been commenced.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.