NOTES AND COMMENTS

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 173, 18 April 1942, Page 6

NOTES AND COMMENTS

There is considerable speculation concerning the latest developments at Vichy and the ascendancy in the French political scene of the sinister figure of Pierre Laval. It may be a little time before the full significance of these changes emerges, but it would- seem very probable that if these portend closer collaboration with G.ermany, and the possibility of active military, naval, and air co-operation with the Axis in the war, illumination may not be long delayed. Taking this possibility at its gravest, its materialization might be timed to synchronize with a new stroke by Hiller in Europe and North Africa during the coming months. The key to the position is the French Fleet. Whatever may be its present state of efficiency, it might, in point of numbers, be a ponderable factor in the strategical situation at sea. The forces of the Allied jiavies are widely distributed over the seven seas, and divided between extensive patrols, and convoy duties that make heavy calls on their effective tonnage. On the other hand the French Fleet, if handed over to the enemy, could be concentrated in ways that might impose an increasingly heavy strain on Allied ships available. For this reason the future of the French Fleet is the most crucial question arising from the re-entry of Laval as head of a pro-Ntizi Vichy Government.

Interest in whatever reply the Government may make to the representations of the Dominion executive committee of the N.Z.R.S.A. regarding increased war pensions will be by no means limited to the inembeis of that organization, or the war pensioners. The executive has reallj stiessed the increasingly difficult position of everyone living on a small fixed income, irrespective of its source. These jieople have no protection at all against the upward trend of the cost of living, and in probably a majority of eases their earning capacity is extremely small. It would be no answer to contend that, had it not been for the efforts of the Government, prices might have soared even higher. If that could be said to constitute an answer to the request made on behalf of pensioners and others then it would be equally applicable to the public servants and workers covered by awards, who have received assistance. The U.S.A, executive doubtless had in mind those whose interests form its special charge, but the issue is much wider. Iheie me very many people whose income has not increased by one penny in the last few years, and has always been on a lower level than the average salmi l ."- and wages of those who have received increases. The representations to be made by the spokesman for ex-servicemen and their dependants will draw attention to the position of it larger section of the coininunllj Unit so fm has boon consistently overlooked.

By their steadfast refusal to be made pawns of mi enemy-controlled regime the Norwegian clergy have won a notable moral ,xietor.x. am! om which is honml to have important material repercussions. The Stockholm report (published today) announcing the release of the Bishop of Oslo may lie looked upon as a verification of, mid sequel to, the message from London a few days ago which stated that Germany’s puppet. Major Quisling. Ims been ordered to call off the fight against the church and its members, who are described by a Gernimi-conlrolled newspaper as ••dangerous people." No do’ubt they are, from the Gerinmi point of view, for they claim liberty and independenee of thought, and have not hesitated to defy the Quisling attempts to deny them that civilized privilege. They are dangerous people for dictators to try to licid down, and the success of their unified aetien — a success achieved in spite of the fact that, militarily, the enemy holds them in the hollow of ins hand—will not be overlooked by oilier peoples who are striving Io revive the spirit of liberty in their oppressed lands.

lii Great Britain last year “ordinary rNpundilur<‘ other than for the purposes of the war showed a decrease of alurnl £ 1 G.OOO.OOP.” The figures probably relate Io the supply votes and tin- British authorities have made every effort Io restriel (lie expenditure on Hie imn-eombatmit services. The transfer of eliarges lias made exact comparisons difficult, but there lias lieen a marked reduction of expenditure on public works mid other iinderlnkiiigs. 'i’lie eslimates for 1040-41. for instance, showed a reduction of over £7.5(10,000 in the proposed expenditure oii'roads and over £1,00(1,000 on public buildings, mid the marked reilnetion of unemployment emibleil a large saving to lie effected there. 'l’lie result lias been Hull, through the economies effected by Hie Stale, n very substantial sum has been made available to meet llie soaring costs of Hie war effort. (I’lie same policy has been adopted in other countries lint this Dominion, though it has made some reductions, has attempted to maintain an extensive public works programme, involving an estimated expenditure of £12.!I50,000 of loan money last year, and. with £7,665,000 available from revenues of these undertakings, a total for the year of £20.615,000. The British Budget is brought down within a few weeks of the commencement of Hie financial year, but here several months usually pass. 'l’he period thus made available should permit of a thorough revision So Hull by reducing expenditure, “other than for Hie purposes of war,” a larger proportion of that unproductive outlay may lie met out of current revenue.