To the Editor of the "Nowmu-Cmaa Day News"
Sua;~So much notice is taken these: days of developments in Europe in so far as war is concerned—whether it comes or not—that 1 wonder if the casual observations of a very dinary layman would be of interest to your readers, Tu recent months I travelled through and stayed in Italy, France, Germany, Poland, England, 'Belgium, ete, and' I was struck by' the utter indifference of the man-in-the-street fu all these countries to war. War in Europe today would be decidedly unpopular, for the people do not want it.
In Remarque's book, "All Quiet on the Western Front," a group of German soldiers discussing. war suggest that politicians themselves be given. guns and told to ight it out—for the common folk have no use for It. That idea may be ridiculous, but it prevails "allover Europe today. People do not want war and govern: ment that unleashes its armed forces to attack another, unless in defence.
looking for revolution, which will be the aftermath of the next war together with the total obliteration of the present forms of government, be they' totalitarian or so-called demiocratic.
Tneidentally, no unbiassed person can visit Italy of Germany without being struck by the incredible pro-Gress made. since the coming of Hitler and Mussolini, Unemployment a thing of the past—social services that make the humblest individual something of value to his country iniseud"Ot-ardengy have been Intro duced and seem to warrant the assumption in the future of healthy and contented people. Many claim that the intense' anti-Hitler propaganda. in the world-wide English press is a by far belated attempt to save capita lism as it is today. In England there Ig still the fostering sore of the unemployed, the degrading dole, the Public Assistance Committee, in the world's richest country and the heart the world's largest and richest em-Dire. Cannot conditions in our country be made the same as Hitler has made them in his? If not, why not? seems inconceivable that in England today there is 10 per cent. of the population unemployed or only: casually employed. Labour leaders state that one in three Is out of a constant Job. There is a distinct shortage of labour in Italy and Ger~ many. So-called. alliances are not treated seriously in. Burope. The Comintern Pact is scoffed at by Malians and is treated as a huge joke by Germans, who laugh loudly of the mention of it. Fifteen per cent, of the population of Europe would be behind their governments in the event of war—the remainder would be definitely against them, psychology ists. state, Shanghai, July 20,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.