WAR OR GERMAN DOMINATION?
[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR] SIR,—In his last article, Mr. Woodward says "of these evils," i.e., war or the domination of Europe by Germany, "most free men would choose war." It is implied that war would save freedom and result in victory. Both those propositions are highly controversial.
Defeat in a war With Germany is almost certain, because she can do far more destruction from the air on towns and people concentrated in- the limited area of the British Isles than our airmen can do in the vast Reich. But—this is the really important point—in a war with totalitarian States freedom must disappear at once. We should be involved in a ruthless regime at the outbreak of war and everyone,would be harnessed to the military machine. Even if we should " win " the war the demoralisation would be so awful that it is futile to talk about "handing on the torch." Surely, if the world is in its present position after the overwhelming victory of 1918 it is vain to expect that war can preserve freedom.
Is the domination of Europe by Germany, therefore, inevit- able? Not in the long run provided we refuse to be dragged into war. Maxima est veritas et prevalebit. Dictatorships are founded on falsehood and "you cannot fool all the people all the time." The British mind will never be dragooned in time of peace, though it may be carried away by war-time pro- paganda. Even if Germany's power in Europe were greatly increased we should have more freedom left in Britain than would survive in a war to defend freedom. Europe must one day recover from its present insanity, as indeed your article suggests. Then we shall be far better able to "pass on the torch" than after the demoralisation of even a victorious war.
Swinton House, Duns, Berwickshire, A. E. SWINTON.
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