National Service Is as well that the inspiring message which HM, the King broadcast on Sunday evening. should be widely published throughout all the world, He had witnessed a parade of national service volunteers in Hyde Park that afternoon, and he was impressed by the demonstration which he witnessed. The past few months have seen. powerful evidence of certain characteristics which critics of the British are either apt to overlook, or would like to believe are non-existent. 'The chief of them is the willingness to submit to a voluntarily imposed iselpline when anything in the nature of a crisis demands it, It could, of course, be imposed upon the people if necessary, for there Is every requisite power in the' possession of the legislature. Fortunately it "has not proved to be necessary and though the Teall for volunteers for national service was made only a short while back the authorities have at their disposal suiMeient numbers to ensure the efficient carrying out of wartime measures should there be any demond for it. 'This team spirit, which makes those inspired by it so much more valuable than those subjected to some form of general compulsion, arises out of a very real apprecia~ ion' of the dangers with which the country may be faced, and the need for securing that. training, and education with which to meet the problems which warfare will nowadays imose, Much of what they are learning may to some extent have to be unlearnt under practi cal conditions, but so long as the general principles are correct there need be very little doubt' concerning. their modified - application should the time unhappily come for that to be done. The creation of a large and efficient hatlonal service, something much wider than anything which existed during the Great War, Indicative of the recognition by the British fof the seriousness of the situation and their readiness {0 appreciate his Majesty's reference to them, and the spirit which animates them, while his. express Dangerous Days While there is intact nothing remarkably new in the latest speech which Lord Halifax: has delivered, and of which an account appears elsewhere in' this issue, it Is nevertheless Importance, coming as it does at such a juneture as the present. 'There are varying views as to the imminence of a crisis concerning the: fate' of Danzig, some circles suggesting the' likelihood of matters being brought to a head over this week-end, while others contend that the crisis is still some weeks away, Lord Halifax appears to have made his speech with the approval of the Prime Minister, not only with regard to its text but also its timeliness. It is! important that there should "be no misunder. standing as to what will be Great Britain's attitude to certain eventualities which have been clearly defined. Even if the inclusion—of Russia into a tripartite mutual assistance pact against aggression has not yet been brought Into effect, French and British commitments to Polahd and Rumania are perfectly clear. Any: aggression which Poland desires to resist will lead to assistance being given her by both nations. That this would mean a general Buropean war is the one great fact of which the German and Italian Governments have been repeatedly apprised by British leaders since the Prime Minister was brought to a realization of the failure of his appeasement policy. It to be hoped that any such catastrophe will bbe averted, for the perils to the world attendant upon any such eventuality are such as to create fears for the future of civilization, and the reduction to chaos which would find utile o ho parallel in the Dark Ages. It Is to be hoped, however, that before any such danger doe eventually raise its ugly head the Anglo-French-Russian Pact will have been brought into being, That it represents the creation of new balance of power in favour of those who desire to resist aggression is the best guarantee It can offer for the future peace of Europe, and there is only one fear and that is that hostilities may be commenced before the alliance can be perfected.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.