THE CHOICE OF EVILS
[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR]
SIR,—In his last article Mr. E. L. Woodward says : " We have before us a choice of terrible evils ; war, or the degradation of our standards of civilised life and the disappearnce of our free institutions. Of these evils, most free men would choose war. . . Victory would mean at least some chance that the torch might be handed on."
(Leaving out of account for the present situation the organ- isation of a " passive resistance ") is he not passing over the point of view that submission would also mean " at least some chance that the torch might be handed on " ? In other words, does he suppose that there is no hope of free institutions ever arising again, for instance, in Germany or Austria ? The prospect of German youth being inculcated with Nazi doctrines is indeed a melancholy one, but one may doubt very much whether, if, say, a former Socialist in Germany talks to his child about freedom, a Storm Trooper appears to arrest him without delay (and, on this point, whether all former Socialists are in concentration camps).
And moreover, the chances of freedom returning in the future in a Britain which had submitted to a Fascist Power might compare unfavourably with the position of freedom if once again a general conflict succeeded in proceeding once again " free " States confronted by those of " anti-free " views but what a price would be the annihilation of millions of people on both sides ; and what a risk would have been taken —that of destroying everything as we know it !
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