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Salient. An Organ of Student Opinion at Victoria College, Wellington, N.Z. Vol. 2, No. 4 March 29, 1939

"Tin Heavens"

"Tin Heavens"

Now that Britain's National Government is receiving plaudits in the press for their munificent free gifts of "tin heaven" A.R.P. shelters. It is well to reflect just what these shelters are to protect the people of Britain against A cynical observer might well say that they are to protect Londoners from what will probably be Skoda bombs dropped quite probably from Czech planes surrendered to Germany in the fulfilment of the Munich agreement. It is indeed [unclear: ironical reflect] that Britain, however [unclear: muc]ner rearmament programme may be [unclear: specified] up would take two whole years to make up what Mr. [unclear: Chamberia] presented gratis to Herr Hitler at Munich. The distribution of any amount of "tin heavens" does not compensate the democracies for the loss or the following: the 80 million pound defence ring of the Czechs containing many of the secrets of the French Maginot Line; radium ores, giving Germany now a monopoly or those in Europe; lend and zinc resources increasing those or Germany by one-fourth; and forest reserves increasing those of Germany by one-fifth. Was the sacrifice of the Czechoslovak Republic worth it? When one considers that Britain is now arming as never before, in spite of the fact that the Munich agreement Mr. Chamberlain is so proud of eschews war between Germany and Britain for our lifetimes at any rate! And who is Britain contemplating going to war against if not Germany? Veritably Mr. Chamberlain's policy is one that seems to have no streak of consistency.

—P.A.M.

Censorship ends in logical completeness when nobody is allowed to-read any books except the books nobody can read.

—George Bernard Shaw.