TELL THE COUNTRY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 304, 26 December 1939, Page 6

TELL THE COUNTRY.

"A job well done" will be the universal comment on the brief but vitally important mission to Britain of the deputy-Prime Minister, the Hon. P. Fraser; and his return will be cordially welcomed by all classes of the community,, whatever their political views. Though Mr. Fraser is obviously unable to give more than a bare outline of his many activities, it is easy to see, reading between the

lines, that in his absence of some eleven weeks, he could have had very little leisure. Following the practice established at regular Imperial conferences, the British Government has made to Mr. Fraser and the other Empire delegates, a full and frank statement of its war aims and activities in every sphere. From the point of view of this country, which is of more immediate interest, such a statement means that Mr. Fraser will be able to place before Cabinet vital information on every aspect of what is expected of the Dominion over a period of years. Most of this information must necessarily be secret; but it is to be hoped that the Government will early, and to the fullest extent possible, take the country into its

confidence. There is ranch we all want to know. There is sonic information we feel we have ;i right to know. Only now, with Mr. P raser's return, has come the chance of giving the information. The arrival of Major-General Freyberg, tor example, gives materia] point to I lie of.' a policy on recruitment. An authoritative statement on that and other matters, on the basis of the knowledge of one who has just been in the centre of things, would do much to bring home to the country a better -cnse of the grim reality of the struggle. Tn the realisation, the Dominion's effort would assume a greater enthusiasm, deeper unity and a more unshakeable perseverance.