Selwyn House School - Yearbook (Montreal, Quebec Canada)

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SI-ILWYN HOUSE SCHOOL NIAGAZINIR Mussolini therefore causes nasty incidents to take place, like the torpedoing of British and other neutral shipping. 'lihere is little doubt as to whose submarines are responsible, but if Britain were to charge the Italians outright, it would be asking for trouble. Britain is, it seems, willing to take any number of slaps in the face in order that the peace of the world may be maintained, and that she may have time to fully rearm. There has been one well known Englishman, who recently declared that Italy did not want warg that she wanted in fact nothing more than to implant her cultural superiority on the INlediterranean countries. I wonder what this gentleman considers culture l Surely he does not regard the Abyssinian war as a cultural expedition. So far we have discussed the Mediterranean situation. Wie turn now to the near Past. Most people who read the newspapers know something of the trouble that is at present going on in the British mandate of Palestine, and 1 don't think that there is much that 1 could say that would be of any news. However, if when looking at a map of the Near East, you happen to glance at the other end of Arabia from which Palestine is located, you will doubtless see the names of Yemen and Hadrhamaut printed there. If your map happens to have been printed before 1935, under the word I-Iadrhamaut you will see a thin red strip, showing that this particular piece of Arabia is British. Now if your map was printed after 1935, and before March of 1937, you will notice that a thin red line has been drawn on the map enclosing what is really 100,000 sq. miles of territory. This means that this portion of land has become sub-iect to British influence, and again, if your map is really modern, you will note that this piece of territory about which I am writing, is now shown on the map by a solid red marking, in other words since the beginning of 1935, Britain has acquired 100,000 sq. miles of Arabian territory, in defiance of all treaties with the Arab rulers of that territory. You may say, How was it done ? It was done by Peaceful Penetration , a familiar phrase, one that is connected with the present Sino- japanese war. I do l1Ot mean that Britain went to war with the natives, as did the Italians in Ethiopia. The method adopted was quite simple. First a Resident was sent to several of the more important towns. When his authority was disputed, as was natural, troops were sent to back it up. If any of the tribes showed any signs of an uprising, they were given notice that they were to evacuate their village, as it was to be bombed. Small wonder that the British now have two colonies in Arabia. The first reason for this so-called Peace- ful Penetration was the rumoured discovery of oil in the Hadrhamaut, and the second, was the Government's belief, that if they did not annex it, some other country might try. So the next time you wish to raise your voice against the outrages of any country, think first if there is not some precedent for it in British history. In conclusion, we have seen that the continued predominance of Britain in the Me- diterranean would, to use a slang expression, put a spoke in the wheel of any designs which Mussolini might have on the colonies of either France or England, and we can also understand that Italian predominance in the Mediterranean would in all probability lead to a war. lt therefore seems to every country's advantage lwith the possible exception of ltalyj that the Mediterranean should remain dominated by Britain, and not by Italy. lt is unfortunate that the peace of the world does not mean enough to Mussolini, in spite of his frequent speeches, in which he always reiterates his desire for peace, that he should not be willing to allow matters to stand that way. D. C., Form 6. lPfm.vf' nolf : Since the above was written in February last, the political situation has changed considerably. l'id.1 I 121

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FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR 1937-1938 and French fleets would in all probability have their bases at either end ofthe Mediterranean Sea, as it would be suicidal for any warships to try and pass through the narrow strips of water between the island of Pantellaria and the mainlands of Italy and Africa. Italy is, as everyone probably knows, a long strip of land in the shape of a boot, protruding into the Mediterranean Sea, no part of it exceeding 200 miles in width, and some parts of it less than 90 miles, therefore she is extremely vulnerable from the air. I'nder the leadership of Mussolini, Italy has in the last fifteen years regained a prestige in the world which has never been excelled since the days of the Roman Iimpire, and Il Duce has shown only too clearly his desire to be a second Caesar. He has under his command a first class war machine, which proves itself a strain on the country's revenue in times of peace. This war machine would, in time of war, have to be supplied with food and raw materials. As Italy is far from self-sustaining, she would be in a bad way for provisions, if both the Straits of Gibraltar and the Suez Canal were closed. NIussolini's interest in Spain is perhaps explained by this need of provisions, for if Franco wins the war, he will then be indebted to Mussolini. Spain is rich in many of the essentials of war, such as grain, fruit, mercury tan essential in the production of high explosivesl, iron, copper and zinc. While both ends of the Mediterranean might be blocked, Italy could still receive supplies from a neutral Spain. However Spain could not be expected after a prolonged war to be able to supply Italy with all the raw materials that she needs, even if she possessed them. Mussolini has therefore turned his eyes in the direction of South America, and particularly 'Brazil. In Brazil, he has been carrying on a very successful campaign of Fascist propaganda which has seen, doubtless as one of its results, the advent ofa new Fascist dictator in the shape of Getulio Vargas. Brazil is rich in nickel, oil, iron, copper, and rubber, these products could be shipped across the Atlantic to I.isbon, transported across Spain, and shipped over the Mediterranean to Italy. There is a dark-horse in the Mediterranean in the shape of Turkey, not the decadent Turkey of the last days of the Ottoman Empire, but a new and virile Turkey, with a modern airforce and mechanized army, a deadly menace to the welfare of Palestine if she were to be on the side of Italy, and a valuable ally to Great Britain, olfsetting the inHuence of Greece and Rumania. Turkey has as its supreme ruler Mustapha Kemal .-Xtaturk fthe modern Constantinej, a cruel, bitter, and iron-willed man who has made a nation out of a crumbling Empire. The latest move that Mussolini has made to make the Mediterranean situation more complex, is to announce himself to the world as the Protector of Islam . By means of subtle anti-British, and anti-French propaganda, he has sought to stir up trouble against the British and French administrations. The Duce finds in the discontented Arabs of Palestine, a fertile soil in which to plant his seeds of rebellion. His object is, apparently, to keep them almost at a boiling point until it suits his plans to have a holy war. He seems to overlook the fact that if the Moslems have a holy war, it will naturally be directed against all infidels , including the Italians. Another method by which Mussolini hopes to lessen the influence of the British and French governments, who constitute his worst rivals, is to discredit them in the eyes of the world. All countries look ultimately to Britain to uphold the peace of the worldg Illl

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FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR 195' -1958 The :fathers Rlattb. In the long and dreary winter, In the cold and cruel winter, When the masters get lumbago. And the braves put on their mittens, Comes the Father's tribe to fight us, XYith its sticks and skates and sweaters, To battle with the tribe of Selwyns With their coats of black and yellow. Comes the mighty chief named Culver With his tomahawk and buckskins, With some others big as mountains Holding scalps of many Selwyns, Struthers, Cleveland, Huestis, Tetrault, Deadly with their bows and arrows. Led by Blaiklock, the W'abasso, From the lodge came many Selwyns, Out on to the frozen waters, There to meet the deadly Fathers, There to do or die in battle. Arrows Hew in all directions, And the battle grew more furious, Till Mackenzie, the great umpire, Brought a pipe from his coat pocket, Said to Culver and to Blaiklock, Let us smoke the peace-pipe, brothers. Blaiklock smoked the pipe and fainted, Culver smoked it and was dizzy, So both tribes without their leaders, Fell to laughing and rejoicing. To our lodge then came the Fathers With their squaws and their papooses, Brilliant in their beads and war paint, Straight to Gitche W'anstall's wigwam, Drank the hot drink made of hemlock, Ate the bison killed by Oscar, Banished all their fears of homework, Pledged to tight again next winter. l13l P. G., Form 5