BRITAIN'S PLANS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 135, 10 June 1942, Page 5

BRITAIN'S PLANS

IF INVASION COMES Civilian Duties Stressed In Official Statement British Official Wireless. Rec. 1 p.m. , RUGBY, June 9. Common sense and ingenuity will be the best equipment for civilians in the event of invasion, the Minister of Home Security, Mr. Herbert Morrison, in a statement setting out civilian duties in some detail. He stressed the fact that this statement had not been issued because invasion was imminent but because it was necessary to be prepared. He made it clear that while the civilian will be expected to carry out his allotted duties with energy and resolution he should not take independent action in matters such fs the scorched earth policy. He should not destroy plant or block communications except on the definite orders of military police or wardens. Mr. Morrison said that a scheme for denying resources to the enemy had been carefully balanced with the needs of their own forces and independent action could have serious results for the military plan. A scorched earth policy would be carried out if essential, solely with a view to national defence and without regard for private interests of anv kind. He .said that if small parties of the enemv were moving in areas not occupied every citizen was expected to help to overcome them. Other points in the statement are that regional commissioners will assume the functions of the central Government in their regions when necessary and with regional representatives of various Departments will act as the governing centre of a selfcontained community. War zone courts will be set up to administer justice. Without the proclamation of martial law any member of the armed forces may claim the help and obedience of civilians in any emergency which threatens the safety of the realm. Where they exist, civil defence emergency committees will form the nucleus of invasion committees. Where there were no such committees, special committees would be constituted. The possibility of invasion was also discussed in the House of Lords by the Duke of Devonshire, who said that 6000 or 7000 invasion committees had been set up to provide for the necessary collaboration in larger towns He added that the Government had decided to increase the Home Guard.