26 Nov. 45
British hands, for example,
Angola. French favors would probably be of the same nature.
"A serious discussion regarding the return of colonies to us
could be considered only at a time when England is in a state of
emergency and the German Reich is strong and well armed. The
Führer does not share the opinion that the Empire is
unshakeable."--Meaning, I take it, the British Empire.--
"Resistance against the Empire is to be found less in
conquered territories than amongst its competitors. The British
Empire and the Roman Empire cannot be compared with one another in
regard to durability; after the Punic Wars the latter did not have a
serious political enemy. Only the dissolving effects which originated
in Christendom, and the signs of age which creep into all states,
made it possible for the ancient Germans to subjugate ancient Rome.
"Alongside the British Empire today a number of states exist
which are stronger than it. The British mother country is able to
defend its colonial possession only allied with other states and not
by its own power. How could England alone, for example, defend Canada
against attack by America, or its Far Eastern interests against an
attack by Japan? "The singling out of the British Crown as the
bearer of Empire unity is in itself an admission that the universal
empire cannot be maintained permanently by power politics. The
following are significant pointers in this respect:
"(a) Ireland's struggle for independence.
"(b) Constitutional disputes in India where England, by her
half measures, left the door open for Indians, at a later date, to
utilize the non-fulfilment of constitutional promises as a weapon
against Britain.
"(c) The weakening of the British position in the Far East
by Japan.
"(d) The opposition in the Mediterranean to Italy which --by
virtue of its history, driven by necessity and led by a
genius--expands its power position and must consequently infringe
British interests to an increasing extent. The outcome of the
Abyssinian war is a loss of prestige for Britain which Italy is
endeavoring to increase by stirring up discontent in the Mohammedan
world.
"It must be established in conclusion that the Empire cannot
be held permanently by power politics by 45 million Britons, in spite
of all the solidity of their ideals. The proportion of the
populations in the Empire, compared with that of