WARTIME ENGLAND

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 5, 7 January 1944, Page 2

WARTIME ENGLAND

HIGH AURA OF HOPE

SET FOR FINAL PHASE

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 15.

Highlights of an intensive fourweek tour of wartime England were described by Norman Chandler president and general manager of the Los Angeles Times, in an address to fellow employees which he characterised as his "one and only speaking appearance" "There s a bright aura of hope in England but it is not complacency," he stated. -From the generals and statesmen down to the bomber crews and the commandos .there is a deling that the Germans can be knocked out Ot the war- by early summer if the attack is relentless." Mr. Chandler and three other publishers returned from the tour that touched high and low corners of the Allied war effort's nerve centre. Features of the intimate study were interviews with Prime Minister Churchill, Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden, Vincent ivlassey, High Commissioner for Canada, Lieutenant-General Ira Eaker, Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Harris, General Jan Christian Smuts, Premier of South Africa and adviser to Churchill, Oliver Lyttelton, Minister of Production, Admiral Tovey, head of the British Admiralty, Lord Beaverbrook, Lord Privy Seal, Ambassador John G. Winant, and scores of other ranking military and diplomatic figures. Few segments of English—and American —life on the island fortress were missed by the publishers' party which flew the Atlantic by British Overseas Airways Clipper plane on October 29. The Allies are preparing—and pre- ' paring thoroughly—for the decisive actions to come, Mr. Chandler learned. Give Air Power a Chance "Air Force officials hope, however," he said, "that invasion will be put off long enough to give air power a chance. The bomber commands are so sure they can do the job, so certain they can pulverise French coast defences." he declared. "Furthermore, they .have proof, enormous photograph 3 of razed German towns and crumpled, blackened industries—the results of air raids that are five and six times heavier than the peak 450-ton raid on London." In speaking of air power, the publisher told of seeing squadrons of Fortress and Liberator bombers take off for a sweep. "They circled ceaselessly, squadron after squadron coming into the formation until 400 bombers were ready for the attack. Then, accompanied by 300 fast little fighters, they headed south across the Channel. Of the 30 that left the field where we spent the weekend, 28 came back, many of them unbelievably scarred and gouged by enemy fire, and some carrying wounded boys. The Eighth Air Force and particularly the Eighth Bomber Command, seems to be made up largely of lads from Southern" California and Texas, Mr. Chandler noted. "I felt right at home," he said. Part of the publishers' tour was spent in the bomb-levelled heart of London and other blitzed cities such as Coventry and Sheffield. He told of seeing a bombed area several hours after the blast "when they were still removing the dead," and he spoke also of seeing heavy bombers return from attacks on the Continent carrying "-wounded youngsters who spoke of. themselves as 'the vanishing Americans.' " "It is incredible," Mr. Chandler said, "vast areas simply flat except for an occasional gaunt hulk of a building. Seeing such havoc makes one wonder what the Germans are going through with American day raids and British night attacks." As far as Nazi retaliation attacks are concerned, they are few and meagre, he declared. The Blackout is Black "Even when several Jerries got through, most of them never get back," he said, explaining that British anti-aircraft defences—manned 80 per cent bv women—are superb. The publisher told an amusing circumstance regarding air raid shelters. "Some 500 or 600 persons still spend their nights in many of the shelters, apparently out of "fear '• and the desire for companionship " he related. Designed for some 5000 people, the vast undergrounds have not been in general use since the big blitz on the English capital. Another thing that impressed the publisher was the "black" nature of English blackouts. "It is like being inside a closet with the door shut" he smiled "The British— at least the Londoners—have one great fear, he continued, "a frank and almost certain knowledge that the Germans will have one more 'allout smash at London before thev i capitulate. J i "There is talk, too, of a new secret '' Nazi weapon that is supposed to be ' more devastating than anything ' known. Scientists know fairly well : what it is, and are working on means ' to meet it, but the main hope is that ' the Nazis will be smashed before : Mr an nE e b J, OUg V t into full-scale use » J ti o Randier h ad high praise for ' the courage and stamina of the ' British people, and the resolute man" I ner in which they face the future ■ wa? I ' 6 fouryear S Ul o e f ! hi 7 i i> T • GI V- spint ls remarkable " he told his listeners. "There is no : grumbling, no shirking. Everyone ] works, and works hard" £iVeiyone i The publisher also spoke of the British attitude toward Japan "T found no evidence that the English or their Commonwealth Allies are S V foi ;? et the Paciac war," hi said. 'On the contrary, thev seem ■ eager to smash Japan, for after at ' their stake in the Orient is J Edcn'nn^pV Both Anthony ' ,f" ' Uld Pnme Minister Churchill ' -~2 yith whom the publishers had ' fiank discussions—feel that Russ < will not stop her relentless pound ' mg of Germany until the Nazis n 1 completely down and out "There l help f us l afkin 0 s 0 f 'SUI Uie Soviet wiil < ueip us against Japan—at leasf hv ' ES2S&r U r B JSS USe & S he declared. ma " y 1S smo <