So far as psychology is concerned the Germans again betrayed their utter stupidity when on Saturday night they attacked the most sacred spot of the Empire. It is not the damage done to the Houses of Parliament which are after all comparatively modern buildings, but the attempt on Westminster Mall and the Abbey, both of which fortunately do not appear to have been so, greatly damaged as was at first feared. The des truction of the roof of the Abbey's lantern by fire, happily again of modern construction does not appear to have done damage to the fabric of the building, though the famous deanery is reported to have been gutted. In Westminster Hall, which like the Abbey is associated so closely with the history of the British races, the remarkable roof is reported not to have been too seriously damaged. Here kings have held their coronation banquet have lain in state, here famous men have stood their trials. Indeed the very fabric of the building is permeated with the history of the British just as much as is the Abbey, and attempts to destroy them cannot but arouse the greatest anger in the hearts of the British.
Such behaviour will not break their spirit.
Far from it. It will but serve to harden that determination that, come what may, this war shall not end until Hitler and his fellow criminals are made to pay every jot of the heavy debt which they are piling up against themselves. Mr. Churchill has promised that when the time comes retribution shall be meted out to the Germans who are bent on wanton destruction quite irrespective of any military results which might accrue from it. The time for that has not yet arrived. It will not come until air parity with the Germans has been established. Consequently for the time being British endeavour is directed against purely military objectives and will continue to be. But the British people, especially those who have a deep affection for the sacred places of the Empire, will expect that sooner or later retribution shall be meted out to the Germans.
They will demand that the British shall conduct this war with precisely the same ruthlessness as that which is being displayed by the Germans. They will require of their Government that an eye shall be demanded for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, that when the lime comes the historic monuments of the enemy shall receive no more consideration than that which those of Britain are receiving. Should this lead to an orgy of wan-ion destruction it will be unfortunate, but the fact is that the Germans have asked for it. It is imperatively necessary that before this war is ended the Germans shall be spoken to in the only language they appear to understand, fierce retribution, adequate reprisals, Who would not be pained to think that the cathedral at Cologne had been attacked by the British and damaged or destroyed? Yet is that edifice any more sacred to the Germans than the Abbey or St. Paul's are to the British? The Hun must be spoken to in the language of the Hun., He must be told that no consideration for the safety of his holy places will deter the British from attacking any and every military objective.
There will doubtless be many who will disapprove of this view. They have express sed their opposition in the past. That was at a time when the ugliness of Nazi behaviour was not so apparent as it is now.
Perhaps it might have been better if the procedure which up 1o the present has secured the safety of Athens and Cairo had been adopted right from the commencement of the war. That is merely being wise after the event, and the knowledge which has now been gained of Nazi methods demands that they shall be answered in kind. It is believed that Mr. Churchill will keep his promise to inflict retribution upon the Germans in full for their monstrous behaviour.
He may be certain that he will have the great mass of public opinion behind him, for the British are beginning to hate with a cold hatred, the full effect of which the Germans have yet to appreciate.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.