OUTLOOK BRIGHTENS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 62, Issue 44, 2 December 1941, Page 3

OUTLOOK BRIGHTENS.

GREAT TRIALS STILL AHEAD. BRITISH MINISTER’S REVIEW. (United Press Association —Copyright.) LONDON, Nov. 29. „ “Grim though the struggle may yet be we can now look to the far horizon where, the dawn starts to break, ’ said the Under-Secretary for Air (Captain H. H. Balfour), speaking in his constituency. “With Russia' in the east, with the Empire rallied as one, and with America, we can make sure that Germany is brought to her knees. Though we are a tough iroople, we shall be called uiron to show that we are tougher still before wo are through with Hitler. “In the dark days of 1940, when the Battle of Britain was fought and won above our heads, we had great trials; but the trials we may yet lace may be far more severe.

“I believe that standing alone, our island fortress, supported by the British Commonwealth of Nations, could avoid defeat for ever. But to avoid defeat is not enough. We must have total victory, for the security of the world. I do not believe that without American help—given and promised—we could achieve that total victory, even though we could avoid defeat.” Captain Balfour, who has just returned from visits to Russia and America, said that his chief impression of the Russian Government and people was the fixed certainty that they would fight on bravely until victory, whether or not Moscow .was captured and whether things went well or badly. The courage of the Soviet airmen and the tenacity of their ground troops would never be daunted. Russian air equipment was formidable, and the engineers knew their jobs. The Russians were splendid technicians. They had erected modern British fighters in a few hours, working in exposed conditions without thought of rest or food. Their pilots flew these aircraft without difficulty and off an aerodrome built in 30 days, though the conventional outlook is that an aerodrome must take months to build.

Russia, he added, had the disadvantage of thin communications of telegraph, road, rail, and telephone, but both sides faced the same conditions. If both sides were using modern air equipment, it was not likely that these born there, who had lived always contesting the difficulties and limitations imposed by Nature, would get better use out of their equipment?—British Official Wireless.