Tom Shaw's Triangle

A bayonet stuck into paunchy Tom Shaw, genial Laborite War Secretary, would have to be fairly long to take effect. Up to last week British bayonets were 20 inches long, French & German about 15 inches, Italian 11 1/4, Belgian 9 1/2. Last week Mr. Shaw approved the new style British Army rifle, soon to be issued. Its blade is only 9 inches long, weights a half-pound less than the old sword-bayonet.

In cross section Soldier Tommy Atkins' new fighting tool is thick, triangular. With the flat sword bayonet one could slash, but sticking is better, believe British bayonet experts today. Another improvement in the new British rifle is its aperture peep sight, replacing the v-sight long peculiar to the British Army.

"Racial psychology plays its part in the choice of design," says the Encyclopedia Britannica. "The British race prefers a club to deal with troublesome neighbors, whereas the Latin races 'knife' each other. . . . For this reason the new British pattern is nothing more than a spike. . . . Handiness with the rifle is aimed at, a feature easier to attain with a short than with a long bayonet. Its powers of penetration are, however, very great and the length is adequate to deal with an enemy in winter clothing."

To his trade union friends Tom Shaw recently made in the House of Commons this promise: "The Army, as far as we can arrange it, will not be used against workers in trades disputes," i. e. soldiers will not be used as strikebreakers by a Labor Government, even should Great Britain be faced by another General Strike.

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