AMERICA'S EFFORT

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 63, Issue 3, 14 October 1942, Page 5

AMERICA'S EFFORT

AIMS OF THE UNITED NATIONS.

BROADCAST BY MR ROOSEVELT.

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) WASHINGTON, Oct. 12,

“The American people are united as never before- in determinition to do the; job and do it well,’ ’said Mr Roosevelt in' a worldwide broadcast. “The whole nation is becoming one great fighting force. Some are soldiers, some sailors, and some civilians. Some are fighting five miles up in aeroplanes, some fighting in mines deep down in the earth.

“Few of us are decorated for heroic achievement, but all can have a deep, permanent inner satisfaction that comes from doing the best we knew how. Each is playing an honourable part in the great struggle to save democratic civilisation. • Whatever our circumstances or opportunities, we are all in it. Our spirit is gOQd, and, we Americans and our Allies are going to win. Don’t let anyone tell you anything different.” \ These facts, said Mr Roosevelt, were the main things ,he had observed on his recent tour of the nation. With every passing week the war increased in scope and intensity, he said. The strength of the United Nations wias on the up-grade. The Axis leaders, on the contrary, knew that they had already reached their full strength. Their steadily mounting losses of men and material could not be fully replaced.

“Germany and Japan are already realising what the inevitable result will be when the total strength Of the United Nations hits them at additional places. War nerves now are becoming a boomerang. The Axis leaders have begun to apologise to their own people for the repulse of their vast forces at Stalingrad and their enormous casualties. They are compelled to beg their overworked people to rally their weakened production. “They are proclaiming that a second front is impossible. At the same time they are desperately rushing troops in tall directions and stringing barbed wire all the way from the coast of Finland to the islands of the eastern Mediterranean,

Shipping Problems.

“Meanwhile, they are driven to increase the fury of their atrocities. We have made it,clear that the United Nations do not seek reprisals against the populations of Germany, Italy, and Japan; but the ringleaders! and their briital henchmen must be named,, apprehended, and tried in accordance with the judical processes of criminal law.”

Mr Roosevelt said he expected to make other trips similar to his recent one, for similar purposes. J Until 1 made my recent tour,” he said, “I hiad hot thoroughly visualised the American war effort. I was deeply impressed. “The United States have been at war only 10 months, and are engaged in the enormous task of multiplying their aimed forces many times. We are by no means at full production level yet, but I could not help asking myself on my trip where we would be to-day if we had not begun to build many factories' for this huge increase more than two years ago, more than a year before war w;as forced upon us at Pearl; Harbour.

“We have also had to face the problem of shipping. Ships in every part of the world continue to be sunk by enemy action, but the total tonnage of shipping coming from American, Canadian, and British shipyards is being daily increased, so fast that we are getting lahead of our enemies in the bitter battle of transportation. “We have had to enlist many thousands of men for the mercantile marine.- They are serving magnificently, risking their Jjves every hour so that guns, tanks, aeroplanes, ammunition, and food may be carried to the heroic defenders of Stalingrad and to all the United Nations forces throughout the world.”

Training Men in Forces. The President said he had been impressed on his . tour by the number of women employed on skilled manual work. Within a year there would probably be as many women as men working in war production plants. ‘‘Having seen the quality of the work and the workers on the production lines, and coupling these observations with l'eports on the performance of our weapons from the fighting fronts, I can say that we are getting ahead of our enemies in the battle of production,” he said. “In order to keep stepping up our production we have added millions of workers to the nation’s total labour force. Additional millions must be found as new factories come into operation. We must learn to ration manpower. We must use older men, more women, and even grown boys and girls to replace men of military age and fitness. We must cease the wastage of labour in all non-essential activities.”

Discussing the training of the fighting forces, Mr Roosevelt, said: “A division of an average age of 23 or 24 is a better fighting unit than one of an average age of 33 or 34. The more of such troops we have in the field the sooner the war will be won, and the smaller will be the casualties. Therefore I believe it will be necessary to lower the present minimum age for service from 20s to 18s. The men in the Army and Navy, and the marines, are receiving the best possible training, equipment and medical care. Good training will save many lives in battle. The effectiveness of o.ur combat units will depend on the quality of their leadership and the wisdom of the strategic .plans.” The President added: “These plans will not be decided by those who have expounded their views in the press. Thev will be left to the military lead^

ers of the United Nations, who are in substantial agreement on plans. “Many major decisions on strategy have been made. One, on which all were agreed, related to the necessity of diverting enemy forces from Russia and China to other theatres of war by new offensives against Germany and Jifpan.

“We are mindful of the countless millions of people whose future liberty ' and whose very lives depend upon a permanent victory for the United Nations. Our objective to-day is clear and realistic. It is to destroy completely the military power of Germany, Italy, and Japan to such good purpose that their threat against us and all the other United Nations cannot be revived a. generation hence. W e are united in seeking the kind of victory that will guarantee that our grandchildren can grow and under God live their lives free from the constant threat of invasion, destruction, slavery and violent death.”