A SPECTATOR'S NOTEBOOK
" In the early stages of the war Germany loudly proclaimed that she was winning. As the progress of events belied such words, she changed her theme. The Allies could not win, she averred, and the longer they took to realise this the greater would be their suffering and losses. She continually endeavoured to sow discord between the Allies. Great Britain was not taking her fair share of the Allied burden ; Great Britain intended to retain Belgium and the northern part of France ; Great Britain was using France and Russia for her own selfish ends ; the interests of the Balkan Powers could not be reconciled. These were some of the foolish false- hoods in which she indulged. They were ineffective, as were her many attempts to stir up disaffection within the Allied countries. Ireland, South Africa, India, Egypt, and Moham- medan countries were examples in the case of Great Britain, and Algeria in that of France. She spared no effort to en- courage Pacifism among the Allied peoples."
Mutatis mutandis, and there is very little that needs changing, here is a plain and simple record of what the Nazis are attempting through their Press, their wireless, their diplo- macy and every other possible agency today. Fortunately the depressing conclusion to which this may seem to point is not the only one. The fact is that a distinction, though less acute, had to be drawn between Government and people in 1914 as in 1939. And the Germany of the middle twenties showed that in certain conditions, which can be reproduced without the obstacles which then attended them, a democratic Government in Germany is fully possible.
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