"ONE VAST ARSENAL"

Evening Post, Volume CXXXII, Issue 41, 16 August 1941, Page 8

"ONE VAST ARSENAL"

For a people devoted to the arts of peace to organise quickly for war is a difficult task. The New Zealand Prime Minister pays an unstinted tribute to the speed and efficiency with which the people of Britain have tackled this task. "When you realise that Britain started practically from scratch two years ago, and today is one vast arsenal, it isn't a bad effort." Mr. Fraser's commendation covers not only the workers, but the organisation for directing' their efforts, and the "complete co-opera-tion between the workers and their foremen and executives." There has been, we think, too great a willingness to underrate the organising capacity of British industry. An old phrase about "muddling through" was spoken, and has been repeated; and, on the other hand, German thoroughness has been lauded. But why should we assume this? The great peace achievements of British industry were not the product of "muddling through"; they were brought about by well-directed skill and enterprise. We have no. right, because of a few 7 mistakes, and because someone many years ago coined a phrase, to conclude that the wonderful tenacity and courage of Britain is being nullified by unintelligent organisation. There are much better reasons for believing that the ordeal of war has not only steeled the courage but also spurred the enterprise of a great nation. Mr. Fraser's testimony shows that this is so.