POINTING TO N.Z.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 236, 6 October 1942, Page 5

POINTING TO N.Z.

LIBERALISM TREND

CHANGING U.S. OPINION

"More and more liberals in the I. mted States are pointing to New Zeal ind as an example of progresMvennss and liberalism," says a I niV'i Mty under-graduate now qualilying tor the army air force, in writing t" a friend in Auckland. He statts that, the expeditionary forces that have crossed the Pacific have developed strong ties between America and the countries where they are established.

Speaking of America and unity, he savs it was thought for a time that Pearl Harbour spelled the end of iholatioiiism. but it did not; there are pulit irian-; who are still obstructionist. though no responsible one raised the idea of a separate peace. 1 here are a lew Congressmen who are beginning to talk against the idea ol the United Nations," he continues. "They will fight any world order, they are against aiding Russia they are against defending India. Theirs is not. so much a policy as blind. unreasoning opposition to Roosevelt, whom thev hate bitterly Completely discredited by Pearl Harbour, they are now attempting to lay the blame for it on the President. Supported by the lunatic fringe—the Coughlinites. the Lindbergh faction, the anti-Semites, and, strange to say, in some measure bv extreme prohibitionists—they attack the President.

"Do you ask how many they are? Well, a recent survey shows that 87 per cent of the people directly support. the President's policy, a higher percentage than supported Mr. Churchill in the last poll in Britain. Of the other 13 per cent. I should say 10 per cent do not belong to the category of real enemies; they are merely hold-overs from the Republican party.

"The remaining group of 3 per cent are those who believe that this is Roosevelt's war and that Russia is our greatest enemy. Of them not more than one in a hundred is a potential fifth columnist. The Hitler supporters are negligible, but those who are unwitting dupes are especially noisy and conspicuous." More and more married men are being drafted into the forces, says the writer. Some are fathers of one child. Plans are now developing for an army of 10,000,000 to 15,000,000 men, and some experts predict that an expeditionary force of hundreds of thousands will be drawn from Mexico and Brazil if the war lasts for several years. Brazil's entry was thoroughly unexpected, but highly welcome. Many predict that Uruguay and Venezuela will follow shortly and a successful Allied counter offensive would bring in all but Argentina.

"The salient point in American thinking is a growing friendship for the U.S.S.R.,' he concludes. Industrially, great interest is being taken in the activities of the shipbuilder. Henry Kaiser, who has broken all records for speed. He is now going ahead to build flying boats against the oposition of government recatinoaries who said it couldn't be done.