Foreign News: Wigs on the Green

George Bernard Shaw, 85, had himself a say on great matters of his ninth decade. To questions submitted by Cavalcade he submitted answers which, Cavalcade noted, “may not seem particularly useful to the Cabinet. . . . Neither he, nor we, supposed that they would.”

Q. “What would you do if you were in Mr. Churchill’s place … in regard to (a) the influences which operate against . . . free and full … aid to Russia, (b) the growing body of popular feeling which demands . . . action?”

A. “Put me in it, and I shall know but probably not tell you. There are no intelligent influences operating against all the aid to Russia we can afford. That aid is as clearly the obvious policy for Colonel Moore-Brabazon as for Mr. William Gallacher. . . . When the war ends these gentlemen will split in all directions, as Mr. Churchill admits, but until then every enemy of Adolf Hitler is a friend to all of us.

“What action? The alternatives are: I) seizure of the Channel and North Sea ports, involving considerable damage to our Allies; 2) launching an Indian army, potentially 30 million strong, at the Germans from the east; 3) smashing the Axis by a ruthless conquest of Italy. . . .

“Mr. Churchill has given more than a hint that he is for No. 2. That, I suspect, would be my own choice. . . . The Moslems of North-west India are the Protestant Boys of the East, as convinced as any Belfast Orangemen that the Protestant Boys shall carry the Drum, and much better fighters, I should say, than either we or the Germans. They think so themselves.

“No. 3 is esthetically objectionable and uselessly mischievous. Our Philistine rulers cannot imagine that esthetic considerations can enter into foreign policy or military tactics; but that is just their ignorance.”

Q. “Do you think the financial and economic system of Britain and America will survive the war, and, if not, what measures would you advocate to replace it. . . ?”

A. “Financial systems are in continual flux, and don’t survive anyhow, war or no war. Economic systems all depend on the balance of power between the holders of private property with their parasites and the really productive proletariat. Mr. Churchill and Mr. Anthony Eden are for private property and oligarchy. Stalin is for public property and democracy. So am I. Therefore, I cannot give you an unbiased opinion. All I can tell you is that when the war is over there will be wigs on the green.”