NEXT YEAR OF WAR

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23746, 18 September 1942, Page 4

NEXT YEAR OF WAR

Critical Period Predicted MR FRASER'S VIEW (P.A.) WELLINGTON,. Sept. 17. "I think we shall have to steel ourselves for the next 12 months. That seems a long time, but I think it will cover the most critical period of the war," said the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. P. Eraser) after his arrival in Wellington to-day. "The United States and the other United Nations are getting into their full stride of production, and great as it is at the moment, it will be even more colossal during the coming year." When he was asked about the spirit of the people of the United States, Mr Fraser said that the United States was in the war for the same purpose as were Britain, New Zealand, Australia, and Canada—to fight and fight again, and to win. The United States was experiencing production problems similar to those which had to be faced in New Zealand, only on a much greater scale. Organisations in America were working to full capacity, but they were experiencing an insufficiency of raw materials. It was even difficult to absorb the unemployed in some industries. In some cases the unemployed were not in areas where industries were established, and even if they were transferred they were not always fit for a particular job. Mr Fraser said he had had a long and interesting talk with Mr Donald Nelson, the United States production chief. He had also seen Mr William Green, of the American Federation of Labour, and Mr Philip Murray, of the Congress of Industrial Organisations, and members of their national council, with whom he had discussed the war situation. The views of both organisations were that industry should be kept going without any interruption. They looked upon industrial interruption as playing the game of the enemy. But, in spite of the attitude of the organisations, there were recurring troubles, just as there were in this country. Referring to his discussion with Admiral E. J. King, Commander-in-Chief of the United States Atlantic and Pacific Fleets, Mr Fraser said that Admiral King had a full appreciation of the importance of the south Pacific area, and of carrying on the struggle. "My own opinion," said Mr Fraser. "is that the position in the Pacific, in the Solomons, and elsewhere, is such that the forces of the United Nations must be kept strengthened in every possible way. It is obvious that the situation in the Pacific at present is serious. It is not considered adequate simply to hold the enemy in the Pacific. The United Nations' forces must advance." Those who met Mr Fraser at the railway station included the Hon. P. C. Webb, the Hon. F. Jones, the Hon. J.i G. Barclay, Mr Raymond Cox, American Charge d'Affaires, and Captain Heathcote Heimore, representing the Governor-General. Mr Fraser was later welcomed at a morning tea reception at Parliament House. Besides Ministers of the Crown and members of the Government Party, this was attended by representatives of the three services and of overseas countries.