The Amman Valley Chronicle and East Carmarthen News

Our Note Book. By RRNGER. THE HUN TIDE RECEDES. Among the many sources of gratification that have gladdened our hearts in connection with the events of October, I count as aiiecially cheering the disappearance of the Huns from the Belgian coast-line. For years the unpleasant fact has -t..i-ect us in the face that the possesion of that line from near the French irontier nearly up to the mouths ef the river Scheldt enabled the invaders to dispatch their Got has with ease to invade our eastern counties, enabled them to rain high explosives on Dunkirk, and, more obnoxious than either of those facilities, enabled them to raid our merchant ships from the submarine base at Zeebrugge. Those menacing evils have vanished, and we are "bucked up" about it tremendously, although we ring no bells and light no bonfires. If we are pleased on our own account to know that the German hordes are fartli-es eJway, we are doubly pleased on account of our liberated neighbours in quaint old Bruges and the sea-girt towns and villages among the Rand-dunes. The exasjierating brutality of the German occupation has implanted in these Flemish people a hatred of militarism that will last out their lives- even the lives of those who are mere children to-day. Never will Belgium forget the four years of frightfulness," when to be strong meant exile and enslavement and to be loyal might well mean death. Les sales Boches } ] t le term most commonly applied to their taskmasters by Belgians when they talk to one another, and as the dirty Germans those taskmasters will be remembered for many years to come. The rebuilding and full restoration of Belgium has always been one of the most explicit of our jxsace terms. Jn Mr. Asquith's famous declaration of Great Britain's war •<is, Belgium stood first, We shall never sheathe the sword," he said, "until Belgium recovers in full measure all, and more than all. t hat she has Sacrificed." There are other essential conditions of peace, some of which Mr. Asquith mentioned in that declaration, and there are the fourteen points of Presi- dent Wilson. But Belgium's claims pre- dominate because her sufferings have been so terrible and 60 prolonged, and because her stout resistance in 1914 saved Western Europe at a critical moment. I have remarked that no bells have rung for the clearing out of the Huns from the rleinish coast. That is our usual way. We accept victory without whooping and defeat without whining. Perhaps it was not thus on every occasion the relief of Mafeking was the signal for uproarious scenes in Iiondon, but when we thought it over after- wards we were ashamed of our departure from a dignified bearing. We said to our- selves Why did we not take it for grante-c1 I that we should win in the long run at Mafeking? Why should we be excited at the natural result of the endurance of the besieged and the skill of the relieving forces ? And so it came to pass that we determined never again to exult over military successes.

IN A WHITE SHEET. I THE REFLECTIONS OF "A." The Germans profess to have turned over a new leaf. They are like children who have been smacked for bad behaviour, and who fear a further dose of punishment. "We're good now," they say in penitent tone. But are they? Is the penitent tone put on? How far can we trust them? Some of their l professions of amendment sound well; the Kaiser and the Crown Prince are relegated to the backcround the German Empire is to be ruled by a free Pti-liai-neiit there are to be no more atrocities; lifeboats are not to he sunk; thefts of property are to be dealt wi th sternly. As I have said, it sounds wel l. I It sounds almost too well—too good to be true. But what the world wants is not words, not professions, not promises, not arguments nor protests, but actions—the specific performance that can be identified in actually accomplished deeds. The Kaiser has gone, but has he gone per- manently ? The Crown Prince is out of it. but is he out of it for ever? Where trans- gressions occur," says Prince Max of Baden, ''the guilty are being punished," but do we possess any list of these repressed trans- gressors, with the details of the punish- ments inflicted? If we had such a list, we should undoubtedly discover that only some obscure private soldiers had been hauled over the coals for plundering on their own account, while those in high places who had perpetrated the same acts were respected as very fine fellows. Princes and com- manders have throughout been the chief offenders, and people of that style are not likely to punish themselves. Germany standing in a white sheet as a sinner confessing past sins, and professing repentance, is a dramatic figure and an in- teresting spectacle for the nations of the world. But it is a dramatic figure in' the sense of a theatrical pose? An ancient sage observed that nobody becomes verv bad all at once. It is also true t.hat no wicked Empire can blossom out suddenly into a condition of virtue. If the Germans are, i'n some mild degree, less vicious than they were before their recent chastisement, we need not be so foolish as to think that they have undergone any substantial transfor- mation. "Brutes they were; brutes they remain," is Mr. Balfour's opinion. There is no change of heart—only the change of conduct that one notices in a brute that is cowed by its ex perience of the las h.

FLAG WAGGING. I Wntish Official. 11 snapshot taken with the Kalian Navy, [llrilish OJJîc.:iuL. .I

NAVAL SHELLS. [British Official. Some 380mm. shells awaiting shipment at a French Munition Works.

BRITISH OFFIEERS IN FRANCE. -v [British Offleiul. An ordinary scene Jn a •mall Frcnch town on m tunny day 1 aa orillaary aeaaa Ja_a ..all Preaell .a wa oa a a.aay iI. j

EINEMOTORS IN TRAFALGAR SQUARE. -u Vans of the War Aims Committee attract large cfuudi to the great War Savings Rally.

OUR NOTE BOOK—continued. Yet there is no reason to believe that our stolidity will resist one particular great temptation that is coming. When the real day comes—the Day of Peace with Victory- we shall unbend, not in the vulgar manner of mafficking,' but in a glorious national recognition of the triumph of righteousness over the Satanic spirit. It will be the world's deliverance that we shall rejoice over—the definite overthrow of the domineering War Isolds, the banishment of the "tyrant-conspira- tors who sought to destroy the fabric of civilisation. That will be an event worlhv of celebration. The King will have his Thanksgiving at St. Paul's and his Gala Pedorm.ance at the Opera House the ChiJ-1 dren will have their h?hdays and their "Hallelujah!" choruses and for the rest of us there will be bell-ringing and banquets, flags and fireworks. So much for the future. In the meantime, we must stand firm as a rock, supporting our troops with munitions and money, denying ourselves luxuries, organising ourselves, keeping up the national zeal, discouraging grumbling and disunion. As Sir Auckland Geddes has put it, The first duty of every man, woman, and child in this country is so to order their lives that they make the least possible demand at all times upon the energy of others." In that spirit we shall conquer. Turning from big principles to small details, I like to recall the story, now perhaps a month old, of a Yorkshire working man, who entered a shop where almost everything was sold out. He asked for two ounces of thick twist there was the usual answer. Then he tried to Then he tried to get two ounces of cut cake, but the same answer was given him. Well," said the man, have you any War Savings Certificates ? The reply was Yes." but the shopman was hardiv prepared for the imme- diate reioinder: "Then I'll take the lot. Was he to treat this customer seriously ? It was a big undertaking, for he had a big number on hand. Never mind," said the stranger, I'll take them." The sturdy Tyke was true to his word the certificates amounted in value to IC73, and he paid cash for them in £10 notes and smaller notes. A fine example' The cinematograph vans of the National War Aims Committee aie having very suc- cessful tours, and up to the middle of October about 170 meetings had been held by the sixteen vans thit have been com- pleted, out of the twenty that are to be employed in this campaign, During the middle part of November the vans will visit York, Spilsby, Skegness, Horncastle, Thirsk, Hexham, Penistone, Louth, Bridgwater, Luci- low, Leominster, Warrington, Ilminster, and Wrexham. The object of these tours is to educate the nation in such a way as to enable every individual to understand how the war affects him and how he can help his country.