WORK OF AUSTRALIANS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXII, Issue 60, 8 September 1941, Page 7

WORK OF AUSTRALIANS

FADDEN BROADCASTS

GROWTH OF FORCES

(By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.) (Rec. 9 a.m.) SYDNEY, Sept. 7. An appeal to the people of Australia to back up the nation's war effort and the men of the fighting forces abroad was made by the Prime Minister, Mr. A. W. Fadden, in a national broadcast. Reviewing two years of war, Mr. Fadden said: "We may have to go through another two years of war, or even more, before we find peace, but Australia will wage -war whole-heartedly until the enemy is beaten to the ground." Australia's war effort, Mr. Fadden said, was rapidly' gaining strength. He added that without being boastful or complacent, he was able to say that Australia could give a good account of herself in any emergency which might arise. He claimed that never before had a country of 7,000,000 people done so much in. two short years. ! At one of every four men was serving with the fighting forces. HUGE-FORCE MOBILISED, "That is, more than 400,000 men.are wearing the uniform of the Navy, Army, and Air ; Force," Mr. Fadden said. "Before another two years have passed that number will have gone beyond the ,600,000 mark. Behind the front line of sailors, soldiers, and airmen is a large army of men and women numbering 200,000 engaged directly or indirectly in the production of munitions, war equipment, and war supplies." • Behind them again were many thousands of > voluntary workers who N gave their free hours to services associated with the war effort, " ■ "The story of the Australian fighting forces in this war has shown the world that ours is a virile democracy carrying on'the British spirit," said the Prime Minister. "At least three times as many men are serving with the Royal Australian Navy as when the war broke out._/■; For every.one serving in the Army two years ago, there are now ten by his side. For every man in the Australian Air Force in September, 1939, there are now 17 or 18." . . , ■■■<■■ INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION. Australia might also be: proud of what has been done as far as her industrial and economic preparations for war were concerned, added Mjjv Fadden. In two years the nation had been revolutionised industrially. The foundations were laid of a great munitions industry, of a great aircraft industry, of a great shipbuilding industry, i arid of a great ordnance industry. "I assure you that, within the next six months, we shall be astonished at our capadity to produce wartime essentials," he declared. "In the; current year, we will be devoting about 30 per cent, of our total resources to the war effort. We have put . our hands to the plough, and~we shall not look back,! whatever sacrifice we may have to make." Mr, Fadden appealed to everyone in Australia to back up those who arqf fighting abroad, and to suffer long hours of work and heavy taxation in the cause of freedom.