WAR NEWS

Evening Star, Issue 23968, 20 August 1941, Page 8

WAR NEWS

AMERICAN DOCK FIRE

sever deaths, humeers hissins (Rec. 1.30 a.m.) NEW YORK, August 19. _ The Brooklyn pier fire death roll is now seven, with others missing. Sixty 'persons were injured. The total damage is-estimated- at 2,000,00Ud01. Reports indicate that a dock employee, smoking on tlie pier* ignitGtl iuil3.nimable material.

LONDON VISIT WRANGLE

MR MENZIESS POSITION decision rests with labour caucus SYDNEY, August 20. The much-discussed question whether Mr Menzies should go to London will rest with the Federal Parliamentary Chbaur caucus, which meets on Thursday. Mr Menzies made this clear upon his arrival in Sydney from Melbourne to-day by declaring that he was not prepared, to leave Australia unless all parties agreed. He added that all the cards would be placed on the table for the Federal Parliament to-morrow. A full Cabinet later to-day discussed the political situation and the nature of the broadcast to be delivered by Mr Menzies/to-morrow night. Members of the Cabinet are clearly apprehensive of Labour’s attitude, and have taken the stand that the Government’s case should be placed before the people in such a manner as to bring instantaneous favourable reaction. A significant development to-day was an assurance given by a Government member, Mr M’Call, to the Labour Party that he would support the Labour Administration if Mr Menzies sought an election as a solution of his troubles. It was also reported that additional members of the Labour Party are showing a disposition to desert Mr Curtin and throw in their lot with the New South Wales trio who are strenuously combating Mr Menzics’s proposed trip to London. , ~, . , . Dr Evatt made the following statement to-day “ I am convinced ■ that the primary object of those Ministers who sponsored the move for the Prune Minister’s visit to London was, and is, to hinder effective opposition to , the present Ministry during the indefinite absence abroad of the Ministry’s head. I and my colleagues condemn that proposal on' public grounds.”

WASTAGE OF RESOURCES

AMERICAN CAMPAIGN AGAINST ACCIDENTS (Rec. 11.55 a.m.) WASHINGTON, August 19. In a proclamation calling on every citizen to enlist in a campaign against accidents to prevent wastage of human and material resources of the nation. President Roosevelt said at the present rate the accidental deaths this year would exceed 100,000. Road accidents alone caused 34,300 last year, and this year had increased 17 per cent.

THE NATIONAL INTEREST

PRESIDENT'S PRECAUTIONS (Rec. 8 a m.) WASHINGTON. August 19. _ President Roosevelt has signed a Bill asserting that the national interest was imperilled and authorising retention of those selected as national guardsmen, reservists, and regular army men for 18 months beyond the regular terms of service.

SDLDSERS’ PAY

INCREASES PROPOSED (Rec. 8 a.m.) SYDNEY, August 19. Mr Menzies stated that the Federal Cabinet to-day considered the pay of the Australian fighting forces, and agreed that there should be some increase in both pay and allowances. The details, he added, were not yet available. He appealed to the Press to refrain from speculating on the matter., It is conservatively estimated that the increases in the A.I.F. pay will amount to £3,000,000 a year.

TRADE UNION PRIVILEGES

RESTORATION AFTER WAR (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, August 18. At the annual conference of the Trausport and General Workers’ Union of Llandudno, the chairman, Mr H. J. Edwards, emphasised his conviction that this was the people’s war, and even if greater sacrifices were demanded in days to come he had great confidence that the people would respond. “ It is true we have been called upon temporarily to. sacrifice some of our hard-won rights and privileges,” said Mr Edwards. “ Guarantees, however, have been secured for full restoration of trade union privileges at the conclusion of hostilities, though I would say there arc many things we have got rid of which we would not wish to see returned. I have in mind particularly the idea of work for a full week’s * wages, a principle for which our movement fought long and strenuously. To me as a docker it has been a source of great satisfaction to live to see the introduction of principles designed to abolish casual employment in dockyards, and I feel that in this industry we have in fact laid down principles which will go beyond the war period and create a basis upon which to build for security and continuity of employment in the days that lie ahead.”

RUSSIA THE KEY

PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S VIEWS NOTE OF ENCOURAGEMENT (Rec. 12.25 p.m.) WASHINGTON, August 19. President Roosevelt is reported to have told Congressional leaders that Rusisa is the key to the immediate situation in Europe. He raised the hope that the Soviet could hold out indefinitely against the Nazi military machine. The Washington correspondent of the < New York Times ’ says President Roosevelt asked Congressmen to encourage their colleagues not to beome alarmed too early at the German progress on the eastern front. He said Russian resistane had probably already precluded an attempt by Germany to invade Britain this year, and he appeared to endorse the British view that the decisive defeat of Germany would necessitate the invasion of the Continent by Britain and her Allies.

(Rec. 12.25 p.m.) LONDON, Ang. 19. The London ‘ Standard ’ says the Russians hare lost none of their skill in meeting the blitzkrieg, but they have to face Hitler and his gang fighting for their lives. “If Britain cannot launch a major invasion to divert some of the German forces other means must be discovered of assisting our ally. They must have all supplies we can give them. Soviet Russia must never go down. All onr own prospects are governed by her endurance. Her performance saved ns from the immediate horror of invasion just as surely as the diversion of bombers against, Moscow saved countless families in London.”

TRAGIC SIGHT

BOMBED WESTMINSTER VISITED BY MR FRASER (Rec. 11.35 a.m.) LONDON, August 19. Mr Peter Fraser visited the bombed Houses of Parliament. “ It was tragic to seo the home of democracy blasted open to the sky and see the wreckage of such historic buildings, which I frequently visited in happier times,” declared Mr Fraser.. “Yet, despite the wreckage of these buildings, Parliament still carries on like the brave people of Britain, whose homes have also been blasted out of existence ; and just as newer and better homes and newer and better cities will arise, so newer and better Parliament buildings will be rebuilt, where the free expression of free peoples will be heard in the years ahead. The Hun can wreak material damage but cannot crush the spirit of democracy.”

DEFENCE MANAGEMENT

PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S PLAN A MAJOR REVISION (Rec. 8 a.m.) WASHINGTON, August 19. Congressional sources say that Presi-. dent Roosevelt is considering a major revision of defence management, putting Mr H. A. Wallace (the Vice-Presi-dent) at the head of a new superagency combining the functions of the (XP.M. and Economic Defence Board, with both continuing to operate thereunder, thus raising Mr Wallace to the status of “ assistant President,” outranking Mr Knudsen and Mr Hillman in defence matters. It is understood that the new hoard will also include Mr Hull. Mr Stimson, Colonel Knox, and others.

BRITISH WOMEN POWER

A SERIOUS SHORTAGE (Rec. 8 a.m.) LONDON, August 19. Mr R. C. Assheton, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Service, announced that the Government intends if necessary to exercise compulsory powers to force women to join the services. Emphasising the serious shortage of woman power, he said Britain was reaching a point _ where it would be very difficult to satisfy all important labour needs. He blamed parents in many cases for influencing girls against joining the services.

SABOTAGE CAMPAIGN

SPECIAL ANTI-NAZI CORPS LONDON, August 20. Anti-Nazis in London are planning a vast sabotage campaign against Germany. They are calling for a corps of instructors in Europe to teach bold spirits in occupied countries the art of wrecking. London’s. German newspaper, ‘ Die Zeitung,’ says Hitler has turned nearly every man in the occupied territories into a potential wrecker. These must be trained for active wrecking and taught how to do most harm with the least personal danger. Wreckers must be told how trains can he derailed, telegraph wires cut, and roads and lock gates damaged, and how hydro-electric power stations can be put out of action and tunnels blocked. With this advice anti-Nazis will launch an 1 S for sabotage ’ campaign.”

UNREST IN ALBANIA

UPRISING OF NATIONALISTS MOSCOW, August 19. A Tass message from Istanbul reports a large uprising of Albanian Nationalists in south and south-eastern Albania, in which Greek and Yugoslav guerrillas are participating.