494
PARTISAN REVIEW
respite that this gave us, but "no alliance with godless Russiar" Signifi–
cantly, the Catholic papers became much more anti-Russian when it be–
came apparent that the Russians were resisting successfully. No one who
has studied Catholic literature during the past ten years 6an doubt that the
Lulk of the hierarchy and the intelligentsia would side with Germany as
against Russia if they had a quarter of .a chance. Their hatred of Russia
is really venomous, enough even to disgust an anti-Stalinist like myself,
though their propaganda is necessarily old-fashioned (Bolshevik atrocities,
nationalisation of women, etc.) and does not make much impression on
working-class people. When the Russian campaign is settled one way or
the other, i.e. when Hitler is in Moscow or the Russians show signs of
invading Europe, they will come out openly on Hitler's side, and they
will certainly be to the fore if any plausible terms are suggested for a
compromise peace.
If
anything corresponding to a Petain government
were established here, it would have to lean largely on the Catholics.
They are the only really conscious, logical, intelligent enemies that democ–
racy has got in England, and it is a mistake to despise them.
So much for the various aurrents of opinion. I began this letter some
days ago, and since then the feeling that we are not doing enough to help
the Russians has noticeably intensified. The favourite quip now is that
what we are giving Russia is "all aid short of war." Even the Beaverbrook
press repeats this. Also, since Russia entered the war there has been a
cooling-off in people's feelings towards the USA. The Churchill-Rooseyelt
declaration caused, I believe, a good
d~l
of disappointment. Where
Churchill had gone was an official secret but seems to have been widely
known, and most people expected the outcome to be America's entry into
the war, or at least the occupation of some more strategic points on the
Atlantic. People are saying now that the Russians are fighting and the
Americans are talking, and the saying that was current last year, "sym–
pathy to China, oil to Japan," begins to
be
repeated.
THE HOME GUARD
This force, then known as the Local Defence Volunteers, was raised
last spring in response to a radio appeal by Anthony Eden, following on
the success of the German parachute troops in Holland. It got a quarter
of a million recruits in the first twenty-four hours. The numbers are now
somewhere between a million and a half and two millions; they have fluc–
tuated during the past year, but with a tendency to increase. Except for a
small nucleus of administrative officers and NCO instructors attached from
the regular army, it is entirely part-time and unpaid. Apart from training,
the Home Guard relieves the army of some of its routine patrols, pickets
on buildings, etc., and does a certain amout of ARP work. The amount of
time given up to the Home Guard by ordinary members would vary he-
