SHORT OF PLANES

Evening Star, Issue 24005, 2 October 1941, Page 7

SHORT OF PLANES

GERMANY’S. RESOURCES FAILING LUFTWAFFE EXTENDED BEYOND LIMITS DETERIORATION IN QUALITY OF CREWS (British Official Wireless.) Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright (Rec. 12.50 p.m.) RUGBY, Oct. 1. One of the statements in Mr Churchill'’s House of Commons speech yesterday which caused great interest was the reference to Germany’s shortage in the air—“ The enemy’s -only shortage is in the air, and that is a very serious shortage.” The position of Germany’s air resources is further outlined by a competent commentator in London. Ho pointed out that the Luftwaffe was now extended to its utmost limits, and indeed beyond these limits. Hitler required to maintain an air force from the north of Norway to Bordeaux, in Sicily, Crete, and North Africa, and, above all, on the Russian front. On the latter front his losses were undoubtedly very heavy. There was no doubt that "Hitler urgently needed more aircraft on all these fronts. 11, for instance, he were going either to launch or defend himself from an offensive in North Africa this winter he would have liked to make the heaviest possible raids against Tobruk, Mcrsa Matruh, and other British-held ports. Ho would have liked by the use of an overwhelming number of bombers to deny the Mediterranean to British ships. At the same time he would have liked to build mp a very large striking force in Libya during the past months, and to have protected by air the transport of his supplies. None of these things had he been able to do owing to his shortage of aircraft. The most striking proof of such shortage perhaps was the fact that night after night Britain had been free of enemy raids. No less significant was the urgent endeavour of the Nazi propagandists to persuade their people that the German offensive against Britain was being maintained. It had become clear that the quality 7 of the crews which the Luftwaffe was now employing had greatly deteriorated. Hitler'was compelled to use crews who had not completed their training, crews which would never have been employed, for instance, in the Battle for Britain.

RUSSIAN COUNTER-BLOWS FIGHTING ON CENTRAL FRONT MORE THAN LOCALLY IMPORTANT LONDON, October 1. The Stockholm correspondent of ‘ The ' Times ’ says Marshal Timoshenko’s counter-blows on the central front show a tendency to become more than locally important, but it is still advisable not to over-estimate bis power and intentions. Silence in the news sense largely covers the tremendous commotion between the Gomel region and the Crimea, while the Murmansk and the Karelian fronts are similarly blanketed. THE ODESSA FIGHTING RUMANIANS SUFFER HEAVILY MANY ENEMY PLANES DESTROYED MOSCOW, October 1. The Odessa correspondent of ‘ Pravda,’ who left tho city on September 26, told foreign journalists that the Rumanians lost 160,000 men on the approaches to Odessa. The enemy also lost 140 planes, mostly German machines. “GHOST ARMY” SECRET SOVIET FORGE READY FDR ACTION NEXT MONTH LONDON, October 1. General Bleacher, the Soviet commander in the Far East, has been secretly organising in Siberia for the past year and training on skis a crack winter army of 500,000 men. He has now informed the Moscow Government and the British Military Mission that his “ ghost army ” will be ready for action early in November. Reporting this, the Stockholm correspondent of the ‘ Daily Telegraph ’ says: “ News of the secret army leaked out from German circles in Stockholm, who are greatly concerned with the effect that the arrival of a fresh, powerful, and efficient force will have on the winter battlefields.” SUPPLY ROUTE TO RUSSIA ENGINES AND TRUCKS SENT TO IRAN LONDON, October 1. The ‘ Daily Mail ’ says that a large number of locomotives and trucks, which a few weeks ago were employed in Britain, are now being sent to Iran in order to speed up supplies to Russia from the Persian Gulf. British technicians flew to Iran when they realised that it would be one of tlie chief, supply routes. ißo'lling stock was now being sent out in accordance with their reports. MOSCOW CONFERENCE BRITAIN AND AMERICA THANKED FOR AID LONDON. October 2. A Moscow message says the threePowor conference has successfully accomplished much work. It has demonstrated the unanimous and close co-

DUST STORM AT TOBRUK

GROUND ACTIVITIES HELD UP NO CHANGE IN FRONTIER AREA (British Official Wireless.) (Rec. 10.50 a.ni.) _ RUGBY, Oct. 1. A Cairo communique states: The dust storm, which increased iu intensity around Tobruk yesterday, again interfered with all ground activities. There is no change in the frontier area. British patrols in North Africa are stated to have drawn very heavy artillery fire from the enemy. In Abyssinia repair work on the road from Wolchefit to Debaroch is progressing. Debareeh, which is in No-man’s-land on the way to Condar, and which has been the scene of encounters with the enemy, is now in the process of being occupied.

“SHOULD JOIN FORGES”

BRITAIN AND UNITER STATES COLONEL KNOX PLANS FOR CENTURY AHEAD (Rec. 11.15 a.m.) NEW YORK, October 1. 1 “ Eventually we shall lock up Nazi Germany m the iron ring ot sea power, and within that she will perish,” said Colonel Knox (Secretary for the Navy) in an address to the American bar Association. ” We shall keep the sea lanes open wherever they lead, and we snail do this so that Totalitarianism can be defeated and the principle ot free government and tree peoples preserved. The United States and Britain should join forces for at least 100 years to produce, by force if need be, an effective system of international law. It is the hope of the world that sea power, on, under, and above the seas, will reside for the next 100 years in the hands of the United States and Britain. “ Should war como, it is far better that it should be a distant war than one at home. If we must fight, let us determine that we shall fight elsewhere than on our own soil. That we will proceed from one measure to another until we have taken adequate steps to defeat the legions of Hitler and his. satellites, Italy and Japan, I have no doubt. We will not arouse our people to the full urgency of the situation and bring them to make the necessary sacrifices unless we seek to understand the grander and nobler concept that lies beyond military victory.” .

GOEBBELS BEATEN THE MYSTERY RADIO VOICE SEVERAL GERMAN STATIONS CLOSING DOWN (Rec. 11.40 a.m.) LONDON, Oct. 1. Goebbels appears to have given up the battle with the mysterious radio voice. The Berlin radio announced that the transmitters in Berlin, Bremen, Hamburg, Cologne, Leipzig, and Stuttgart were closing down. Only Breslau would continue to operate. ATTEMPT TO QUELL RISINGS ITALIANS SHELL ADRIATIC COAST MOSCOW, October 1. The Tass Agency to-day reports that Italian warships shelled villages on the Adriatic coast in an attempt to quell risings in Montenegro.

operation of the three Powers in working for victory over the common enemy of the freedom-loving nations of the world. M. Stalin has issued a statement thanking Great Britain and America for supplying Russia with raw material, machine tools, and munitions. The assistance, he says, has been generous, and the Russian forces will be strengthened in their relentless defence and victorious attack to follow. The _ Soviet Government is supplying Britain and the United States with raw material which is urgently needed. Transport facilities to Russia will be augmented, and plans are being made to increase _ the volume of traffic in every direction.

WARNING TO FINLAND THE BRITISH NOTE . (British Official Wireless.) (Rec. noon.) RUGBY, October 1. Replying to a House of Commons question, the Foreign Secretary (Mr Eden) said His Majesty’s Government had addressed a warning to the Finnish Government to the effect that if the Finnish Government persists in fighting for purely Russian territory His Majesty’s Government would be forced to treat Finland as an open enemy, not only while the war lasted, but also when peace comes to be made. “ WAR WILL SOON BE OVER " HELSINKI PAPER’S COMMENT (Rec. 1.5 p.m.) STOCKHOLM, Oct. 1. “ Finland’s responsible political leaders cannot neglect to test every possibility of a satisfactory peace whenever it exists,” says the Helsinki newspaper ‘ Arbetarbladet.’ “It is obvious that Finland docs not desire an extension of the conflict. An Anglo-Finnish war should he avoided if possible. It is difficult to believe that Britain would engage in hostilities with Finland. We arc formally at war with Britain’s Ally, but for Finland this war will soon be over.”-

THOUSANDS OF MILLIONS

BRITAIN'S WAR EXPENDITURE COUNTRY'S FINANCIAL POSITION SOUND (British Official Wireless.) (Rec. 11.35 a.in.) RUGBY, Oct. 1. Sir Kingsley Wood, Chancellor of the Exchequer, reviewing the sources from which the war expenditure has been financed during the first two years, said the total expenditure had been some £7,018,000,000, of which £5,666,000,000 was on war services. He recalled that our total war expenditure in the last war was considerably less than in the present war, and that less than a quarter was met by current revenue. Deducting the £150,000,000 required for debt redemption during the last two years no,loss than £4,380,000,000 had to be found by means other than revenue. Of this sum. 17 per cent, had boon covered by the realisation of gold and

foreign exchange and by borrowing the balances of non-budgeting funds. Twenty-one per cent, was provided by small savings, an achievement which was very remarkable. He added that the gross total of small savings almost reached the notable landmark of £1,000,000.000. Subscriptions from nonofficial sources to medium and longterm market issues provided 33 per cent, of the borrowings. Turning to the income tax, the Chancellor said the total increase of £500,000,000 in income tax and surtax was about one and three-quarter times the whole of the income tax and supertax paid in 1918. and with combined taxation at the highest point at the rate of 19s 6d in the £, it was clear that the maximum rate had been practically reached, at least in certain ranges of income, but it was probably not realised that if taxation was so increased that no one was left with more than £I,OOO yearly or his present net income after taxation, •whichever was the less, the additional yield would not exceed something in the nature of £106,000,000.

Sir Kingsley said he had seen it suggested that in the. process of financing the war the country was rapidly bleeding to death and rapidly exhausting its ability to finance the war on sound lines. Such gloom and despondency were thoroughly harmful, and these views were based on quite a fantastic view of our position, and had no relation to the realities of production and finance.

Mr F. W. Pethiek-Lawrence deprecated old-fashioned ideas of finance, and said so long as the productive resources of Britain remained there was no question of being bled white, whether the war be short or long. When the war was over there would be means of production left which would give a national income greater than the pre-war income. He thought the expenditure for the year would probably be equal to two-tbirds of the national income. Pointing out that this was the first war year when the Chancellor had not found it necessary to introduce a second Budget, Mr Pethick-Lawrcncc said this was duo to the couragoof the Chancellor stimulated by the vigorous attitude of the House itself.

OBJECT SO FAR ACHIEVED INFLATION HELD IN CHECK (British Official Wireless.) (Rec. noon.) RUGBY, Oct.'l. In a statement in the report stage of the supplementary vote of credit for £1,000,000,000 the Chancellor of the Exchequer said two votes of credit of equal amounts had already been voted towards this year’s war expenditure, and the present vote should, at the current rate of expenditure, last until the end of December. Sir Kingsley Wood said that about £145,000,000 remained intact out of the last vote, and this would carry over another two weeks. For the five weeks ending September 30 expenditure out of the vote, which, of course, was available only for war services, amounted to about £ll,000,000 daily, of which some £9,000,000 were appropriated to the fighting services and £2,000,000 to a miscellaneous group of other war services. Expenditure on the fighting services in June, when the previous vote was asked for, was about* £8.000,000. The total national expenditure included social services and amounted to about £13,000,000 a clay. It was interesting to note, he added, that in the peak activities of the last war the vote of credit for daily expenditure was about £7,000,000, and the total expenditure but £1,000,000 more. In his Budget speech the Chancellor said he estimated that the credits for expenditure for the year would require £3,500,000.000, excluding payments duo to the United States, and if, as he expected. a further vote would he asked for in December, the total figure would be broadly within the estimate. “ 1 think T may say,” Sir Kingsley Wood continued, “ that from such indications as are available the object which I put before the country six months ago to finance the war by methods which would hold dangers of inflation in check has so far been achieved. Danger remains, however, and there can bo no relaxation.”

R.A.F. ON ATTACK

HAMBURG AND STETTIN AGAIN BOMBED FURTHER RAIDS OK FRENCH PORTS (British Official Wireless.) (Rec. 10.20 a.m.) RUGBY, Oct. 1. An Air Ministry communique states: For the second night in succession the Bomber Command attacked objectives in Hamburg and Stettin. Many large fires were left among the docks and industrial quarters in both cities. The docks at Cherbourg were also attacked. Dockside buildings were hit and large fires started. Beauforts of the Coastal Command bombed a factory, shipyards, and oil depots at Nantes. Blenheims of the same command bopibed the docks at St. Nazaire and an enemy aerodrome near Lorient. and Hudsons on patrol off the Dutch coast attacked an enemy convoy. A large supply ship was hit atnidsliips and a smaller ship was set on fire. Fighters on an offensive .patrol attacked aerodromes in enemy-occupied territory. From all these operations one aircraft of the Bomber Command is missing. SWEEP OVER CHANNEL TWO ENEMY PLANES DESTROYED (British Official Wireless.) (Bee. 11 a.m.) RUGBY, October 1. An Air Ministry communique states: —“ During a sweep over the Channel early this afternoon our fighters destroyed two enemy fighters without loss to themselves. Two of our fighters are missing from a patrol over the Channel later in the day.” “ ROLL OUT THE BOMBERS " , LONDON, Oct. 2. Sir Archibald Sinclair says the British offensive fighter sweeps over German-occupied territory in France have been of immense assistance to the Russians, as they have pinned down large forces of German fighters which otherwise tvould have been transferred to the Eastern front. “ We want heavy bombers now,” he added. “ Roll out the bombers, and pave the way for the advance of the Allied Army into Germany.”

GERMAN E-BOATS SUCCESSFUL ATTACK BY HURRICANES LONDON, Oct. 2. British 12-gun Hurricanes made an attack on a fleet of German E-boats near the French coast, and every one of them was brought to a standstill, several being sunk and others damaged. R.A.F. IN RUSSIA i AIR MINISTER'S CONGRATULATIONS (British Offioial Wireless.) (Rec. 10.32 a.m.) (RUGBY, Oct. 1. Sir Archibald Sinclair has sent the following message to the commanding officer of the R.A.F.. wing operating in Russia:—“The destruction by your squadrons of 12 German aircraft for the loss of only one of your own is a brilliant achievement. It is a source of particular pleasure and satisfaction to us here that you are working so Closely and successfully with the Russian air force. Good luck to you.” SURPRISE ATTACK ITALIAN ISLAND SHELLED LONDON, Oct. 2. British light naval forces made a surprise visit last Sunday morning to the Italian island of Pantellex-ia, near Malta, and heavily bombarded the E-boat base. Quick-firing guns rained 122 shells into the target, which was left in a pall of smoke and flame. The Italians did not reply till our ships were moving away, and not a shell fell near them. MORE TRAINING NEEDED UNITED STATES ARMY . WEAKNESSES REVEALED AT MANOEUVRES NEW YORK, September 30. Great manoeuvres just completed reveal that the United States Army needs a further 12 mouths’ training before it is ready for combat, declares Major Janson Baldwin, military correspondent of the ‘ New York Times.’ Major Baldwin expresses the opinion that America has not yet developed its own blitzkrieg methods, nor has it a real air force, although it possesses the nucleus of what eventually will be the best air force in the world. _ Serious faults in equipment and training were discovered, he adds, but the troops showed a marked improvement after a year of service. The main faults were overmuch tactical caution by the High Command, and insufficient initiative. General M'Nair, who directed the manoeuvres, expressed the opinion that the lack of discipline and lack of effective commanders were the greatest weaknesses. BAR TO D.F.C. WELLINGTON PILOT'S DISTINCTION (Ree. 8 a.m.) LONDON, October 1. Wing-commander P. G. Jameson, of Wellington, has been awarded a bar to the D.F.C. The citation states that he has set a high standard of performance in his duties. He is a fine leader whose unsparing efforts have contributed to the excellent fighting spirit of bis fellow pilots. He has destroyed six enemy planes, one at night, and damaged two others. His bearing in the face of the /enemy has been of the highest order.

SCURRIED HOME

ITALIAN FLEET REFUSES BATTLE GRAPHIC ACCOUNT OF AIR ATTACK ON CONVOY (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, September 30. A graphic account of the action _ in the Mediterranean, in which escorting British warships fought off attacks by Italian planes on a convoy miles long and carrying stores, munitions, and troops, was given by the ‘ Exchange Telegraph’s ’ correspondent aboard the Ark Royal. “ The sudden rumble of gunfire from battleships, cruisers, and destroyers announced the opening of the attack. The whole length of one battleship seemed ablaze as tremendous anti-air-craft armament roared into action. Fighters from the Ark Royal engaged enemy bombers, none of which penetrated the line of warships to the merchantmen. “ A second attack developed after a brief spell, and one big twin-engined plane staggered and dived into the sba amid lurid flames. The plane which torpedoed the Nelson was immediately hit from other ships, and! plunged into the waves. Another bomber dived as if to attack the Ark Royal, but a stream of two-pounders from the carrier’s pompoms cut the plane in two and damaged an Italian fighter, which was seen to loop the loop repeatedly, but always nearer the sea, into which it finally crashed. “ The signal officer then flashed a message that the Italian fleet was out, steaming towards Bizcrta, 60 miles away. The Ark Royal’s commander ordered the Swordfishes to make a torpedo attack. The men_ cheered, rushed to their machines, and in a few minutes a full squadron of torpedo bombers, with a fighter escort, had taken off. Vice-Admiral Somerville also attempted interception, sending off battleships, cruisers, and a big force of destroyers at full speed. The Italians were,apparently informed by plane of the strength of the British force, and the news that they -were scurrying home came two hours after. Vice-Admiral Somerville recalled the warships, and the convoy went on eastward.”

ITALY ANXIOUS

BRITISH DRIVE ON LIBYA EXPECTED (Rec. 12.20 p.m.) LONDON, Oct. 1. It is reported from Rome that the ‘ Popoio d’ltalia ’ says that the Italians are preparing for a big British offensive in North Africa. “ Italy has sent men, material, tanks, and planes in readiness to face any eventuality.”

ENEMY BOMBERS HEAVIER RAIDS ON BRITAIN SEVERAL PEOPLE KILLED LONDON, October 1. German night raiders were more active, and made sharp attacks on two north-east coast towns. Private houses and other buildings were directly hit, including a boarding house, where it is feared several were killed. A newspaper office was also hit, two members of the editorial staff being injured. It. was later ascertained that a bomb killed four men outright. LABOUR IN GERMANY FOREIGNERS EMPLOYED TOTAL 1,700,000 (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, September 30, The German weekly, ‘ Deutsche Volkswirt,’ says the number of foreigners employed in Germany has now reached the gigantic figure of 1,700,000, not counting 1,500,000 war prisoners. The paper reveals that labour officials follow up the armies step by step and immediately the fighting dies down they co-operate with the military in causing the native population to resume work or in sending labourers to wherever they can be directly employed in Germany. “ Politically Germany is stronger than in the last war, and can exert greater pressure on all European countries to fulfil her needs, especially as the unintended effect of the British blockade is to create a surplus of unemployable labour. The unemployed at home constitute a serious social problem, but from Germany they can send money.”

The paper instances Belgians saying that Belgian workers in Germany sent home 800,000,000 francs, but it does not mention, that this was paid out of the occupation charges levied on Belgium. “ The absorption of labour in the Reich also relieves provisioning difficulties in labour-contributing countries. Germany is looking out for new sources of foreign labour which may be sought in the near fuutre in Spain, the Baltic States, and the Ukraine.”