30 JANUARY 1942, Page 13

CAPTAIN BALFOUR'S BROADCAST

Snt,—Professor Gilbert Murray in your issue of January 23rd arranges his criticism of Captain Balfour's broadcast under three heads, of which at least Number 3 gives food for thought. Professor Murray says that Captain Balfour's broadcast " directly helps the enemy, by reinforcing the Nazi argument that the Atlantic Charter is merely eyewash, and that if the Germans do not support Hitler to the last hour the only altet native is utter destruction."

I ask leave to suomit to your readers an opposite op,nion. Words alone cannot paralyse the Germans. but if we can make thew think that after the war everything east of the Rhine will be controlled by Russians and Poles and Czechs, dismay at such a thought will do something to numb some of their activities; and Captain Balfour's broadcast is at least to that extent useful in a military sense. The Germans are not likely to be alarmed by people who make concessions, apparently through slackness and timidity, while claiming high moral motives. German ideas about the operations of nature and of natural justice are more adequately met by an " all in " contest between those whose speech is English or Russian, against those who talk German or Japanese. That it what they have asked for, and perhaps they will get it

But one 1..knowledgment is due to Doctor Murray Appeals for kindness to the Germans are not nauseating in the sense that asser- tions about the value to us of trade with Germany, after the.last war,

were nauseating.—I am, Sir, yours faithfully, EDWARD PEASE. Guisborough