“MATTER OF WEAPONS”

Evening Star, Issue 23836, 17 March 1941, Page 3

“MATTER OF WEAPONS”

THE FIGHT FOR FREEDOM COURAGE OF THE BRITISH PEOPLE (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, Match 15. Thy First Lord of the Admiralty, Mr A. V. Alexander, speaking at Torquay, emphasised that the war to-day was a matter of weapons. The Navy faced the task of covering the seven seas, and it was subjected to unprecedented forms of attack. It had shown courage, devotion, and skill beyond words ot praise, but without the weapons they needed not even those magnificent qualities of all ranks would suffice. Our success in North and East Africa was another illustration of the importance of material in modern fighting. Bo expected the launching by Hitler this year of the most ruthless attacks by land, air, and sea which would bring damage, loss, and tribulation. The British people faced this prospect with courage and fortitude. They remembered the recovery which the country made from the reverses which culminated in the collapse of France. Who last summer would have believed that by now Britain would establish victorious forces in the Middle East and would have delivered crippling blows to the Italians on many fronts while the Royal Navy bold the Mediterranean in its grip? Mr Alexander asked. The British people also took note of and lifted up "their hearts at the fact that the people of the great democracy of the West had made it quite clear beyond peradventure that under the leadership of an outstanding world statesman they did not contemplate tor a moment the defeat of democracy and freedom by a ruthless and cruel dictatorship in Europe. “ If we may paraphrase the words of William Pitt,'” he said, “ we fight for all that is worth living for this side of the grave; not only for ourselves, but for all people. And we desire no territory and no gains. We desire no victories as the subject of vain boastings, but recognising the immensity of the threat to our liberties, knowing that man’s will is to be free, and that lie will fight ultimately until he is free, we can apply ourselves to the task, feeling certain that by God’s grace the time will come when that freedom shall be established for us and shall be restored to those who have for the moment lost it, and that the cruel opposition of religious and racial ideals shall be ended.” RATIONING IN BRITAIN PRESERVES GROUP OF FOODS LONDON CATERERS UNDER CONTROL (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, March 14. Jam, marmalade, syrup, and treacle will from Monday be rationed together as a group known as preserves. The ration of preserves per head per month will be eight ounces. Announcing the scheme, the Ministry of Food explains that rationing has hitherto been confined to essential food which can readily be shared out equally. The rationing of jam alone may merely lead to an increased demand for alternatives such as marmalade, syrup, and treacle. Accordingly, these four interchangeable foodstuffs are being treated as a group, and, although a customer’s preference will be met so far as possible, he .will not be able to insist upon having any one particular food from the group. The Minister of Food (Lord Woolton) has made an order conferring upon any local authority except councils of boroughs in areas of the London County Council power to give directions to caterers within the area. These directions may be given on the following matters:—The serving of meals at any hour or on any day, the nature of the meals, the prices to be charged for meals, the cooking of food for consumption off the promises, the use of vehicles and the methods of transport, and the employment of a staff for' the purpose of carrying out the directions for n given object. The order is to facilitate the provision of meals in an emergency. HITLER'S WARNING TO PEOPLE HEAVIER SACRIFICES THAN EVER BEFORE LONDON, March 16. In his address to the people of Berlin on the occasion of the Hero’s Day celebration, Hitler did not mention President Roosevelt’s speech. He warned his listeners that the German Army would shortly have to take the initiative again, as it did in 1940, and that the Gorman people would have to bear heavier sacrifices than ever before.