The Franklin Times PUBLISHED EVERY MONDAY, WEDNESDAY AND FRIDAY AFTERNOON. MONDAY, APRIL 20, 1942. “ATTACK,DEFEAT and DESTROY”

Franklin Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 44, 20 April 1942, Page 2

The Franklin Times PUBLISHED EVERY MONDAY, WEDNESDAY AND FRIDAY AFTERNOON.

MONDAY, APRIL 20, 1942. “ATTACK,DEFEAT and DESTROY”

Office and Works: ROULSTON STREET, PUKEKCUE. ’Phone No. 2. P-O. Box 14. “Nothing extenuate, nor set down aught in malice.”

WITH a simple directness which made his words all the more effective, the United States Minister to New Zealand, Brigadier-General Hurley, when responding' to the official welcome at Wellington on Wednesday, gave a stirring call to action which cannot fail to find an immediate and enthusiastic response in the minds of New Zealanders. Brigadier-General Hurley, after a distinguished career in the service of his country in many fields, comes to New Zealand at a critical time in the history of the Pacific nations, and the public will join wholeheartedly with the Prime Minister in the welcome extended to him both personally and as a representative of the United States, which is now playing such a vital part in the Pacific theatre of war. There will be gratitude and approval, too, for the stirring manner in which the Minister summed up the task which confronts the peoples of this part of the world. “The Japanese,” he said, “have challenged the freedom of the Pacific Ocean and the liberty and way of life of all peaceful nations. This challenge cannot be met by words. We must attack, defeat, and destroy the autocracy of Japan in battle upon the land, upon the sea, under the sea, and in the air.” In these three sentences, Brigadier-General Hurley, with welcome realism, gave eloquent expression to the true offensive spirit which wins battles and ultimately wins wars. The thrilling raid on the Philippines from Australian bases, reported last week, is evidence that that spirit really lives. In his approach to other problems facing the United Nations Brigadier-General Hurley was equally realistic. Again in simple but effective language, the Minister made clear the duty which rests on all at a time when everything that democratic peoples hold dear is at stake. Not only must we be determined to strike heavy blows at the enemy with the full strength of our armed forces, but we must be prepared to make every sacrifice on the home front to ensure that our soldiers, sailors, and airmen are able to do their job unhampered in any way. Emphasising the futility of mere words in the face of aggression, Brigadier-General Hurley said:

In the face of this fact it seems futile for us to continue to debate social, political, economic, and diplomatic objectives, because all of these objectives will be lost if we'lose the war. Our rights and privileges are hard-won and they are dear to us, and we intend to perpetuate them. In order to do-

th is, it is necessary for us to mobilise llie protective strength of the free peoples at home behind the soldier. The leader of industry, manager of commerce, worker in the factory, in the field, or unloading a ship—in fact, every leader, manager, and worker is lighting, and if they shirk they are breaking faith with the soldier who dies in battle.

These are plain words, but they convey a message which no people fighting for their existence against powerful and ruthless enemies can afford to ignore. Total war has been forced upon us; our answer, as the Wellington “Evening Post” observes, must be total war. In the final passage of his speech Brigadier-General Hurley gave this message to the people of New Zealand:

■ New Zealand is engaged in Ibis war for its survival and for its principles and for its way of life. 1 come to you today from your kinspeople across Ihe mighty Pacific, from the greatest republic on earth, from Ihe Land of Liberty, to say to you that your principles are our principles and your cause is our cause, and as a token of our faith in the victory of that cause to pledge to you the resources, the lives, the honour, and the power of one hundred and thirty million Americans.

What more inspiring - and heartening message could I he Minister of a great and powerful nation bring to an ally? In a few sentences Brigadier-General Hurley, speaking as the direct representative of President < Roosevelt, placed his country alongside New Zealand without limitation of any kind. But such a pledge carries with it great responsibilities for the recipient as well as the giver. Such a pledge, indeed, cannot be accepted unless we, too, pledge and work as we have never fought and worked before. We cannot, in honour, take

the pledge as an excuse for relaxing our own efforts. We must resist sternly any inclination to say: “America will look after us, so we can take up again our political or industrial quarrels, and we need not interrupt our social programmes.” America is taking great burdens, and preparing to take more. Our recognition and gratitude must be expressed, not by leaning, but by standing erect, small though our stature may he, beside the great republic. America is not suspending her economic and social advantage so that we may indulge in effort-wasting, futile strife, but to attack, defeat, and destroy Japanese autocracy. The pledge of all aid to New Zealand is the most direct call to the people of the Dominion too to unite, end all domestic dissension and sectional quarrelling, and keep faith with America’s soldiers and our own.