BRITAIN AROUSED

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 June 1940, Page 7

BRITAIN AROUSED

ERRONEOUS SUPPLIES POUCY

MR. MORRISON’S DISCLOSURES

[BRITISH OFFICIAL WIRELESS.]

RUGBY, June 13.

Mr. Morrison, in a speech, gave a frank report of the national situation regarding,the supply of essential war materials.

His news of the month just lapsed, he said, was good. Almost instantaneously, the nation had swung over to full war stroke, and there had been marked material increases in output. -/ “Do not over-estimate the effect of this’ spurt. Do not belittle it, but do not expect the impossible of it,” he said.

Dealing with the events which led up to the situation, disclosed after thq, withdrawal from Flanders, Mr. Morrison said that British military policy .had been founded on the belief that a great war could be fought with a great navy and air force, and a smty Continental army.

The whole industrial planning, until comparatively lately, had been based on this conception. Even when the cardinal error of this view had been perceived, the planning was not sufficiently bold, and the limits of thinking were too narrow. Thus, not only the years before the war were partially lost, but the first months of the war itself were not turned to full account. For nine months after the outbreak, the nation was in many, perhaps most, walks of life, on a peace rather than a war basis. This situation cannot be corrected at once.”

Referring to the enormous programme of factory construction, he said work was concentrated on those nearest completion, and the drive to bring over to arms production, factories previously engaged in other works, was quickening in pace. All available energy was being con. centrated on the most urgent task. “The needs of the war mean that to-day many short term measures are long term wisdom.” Mr. Morrison gave examples of the magnificent spirit of the work people in the factories. “In one works, woman operatives, late one Sunday afternoon, attended their seventh consecutive ten and a-half-hour working day, and asked whether they might be allowed to work straight on until the uncompleted work was finished. In another factory, men were at work on a job whose early completion was important because many other things depended upon it. A large gang of men volunteered to get it done in the shortest possible time. They worked a straight thirty-six hours’ shift, and completed it. Paying tribute to the trade unions for their assistance, he said the trade union movement in this hour of crisis had proved itself a tremendous asset.

Referring to Italy’s declaration of war, Mr. Morrison said: “We must not be too much downcast by the latest addition to the ranks of oui’ foes. We would have had it otherwise. We have enough on our hands in all conscience. But we have full confidence in our preparations for dealing with this long foreseen menace. What a bankrupt future has Mussolini doomed the Italian people to bear!” “Even if his wildest dreams were realised, Italy could only exist on sufferance, as the tool of Nazi Germany. And what we are convinced she will in fact suffer is defeat. Think of the Italian people with its rich' nature and liberal instincts, living under the shadow of this barbarism from the north. Think of the tragic fact that a Dictator should have it in his power to bludgeon, deceive and corrupt a whole people. And then think —think deeply—of those safeguards for decency at home and abroad, which we and our Allies are struggling to preserve.” MR CHURCHILL PRAISED. In a tribute to Mr Churchill, Mr Morison said: “We are happy in ou,r Prime Minister. As a colleague, I pay a tribute to his leadership. He gives a helping hand over awkward steps. As a citizen, I pay tribute to the inspiring power of his quenchless courage.” In conclusion he said: “Slow to action we are but in action, the British people show resourcefulness .inventiveness, and knack of adapting odd unexpected 1 means to great unexpected ends, and power to draw down achievement almost from, the empty air. All these things, we have seen in their fine flower in the exploit of Dunkirk.

“Dunkirk was no victory—but it was the earnest of victory, a triumphant answer both to those who may still cherish the hope to tamper with our morale and will to victory, and to those who talk as though the war was just a mathematical calculation. Dunkirk was a triumph—not by any means the first in our history—of mind over matter, of will and intelligence over the fury of brute force. I commend it to you as a portent. In that sign we shall conquer.”

ECONOMIC DIFFICULTIES.

ITALY’S MANY PROBLEMS.

RUGBY, June 12.

Economic observers in London consider that Italy’s reserves both of war materials a*nd food, in spite of the stocks she has been building up, must be reckoned on a basis of months rather than years.

As regards oil, Italy in 1938 imported 2.6 million tons for home consumption, of which over two-thirds came through the Straits of GibraltarMoreover, the main source of Italian aviation spirit was Dutch Curacao, and was carried in Norwegian tankers. Thus, the bulk of Italy’s sources of oil supply have been cut off. ,She will have to compete with Germany for the limited Roumanian and Russian supplies, also for means for transporting such supplies, z This is but one example of the.mostimportant economic result, of Italy’s entry, which, with the resultant closing to her of extra Mediterranean markets, means that she becomes a direct competitor with her ally in those markets in south-east Europe, hitherto' sending so large a part of their exports to Germany, and in which Germany found almost her only external sources of supply for certain vital raw materials and food. The result must be either that Italy will fail to obtain the supplies she requires in order to continue the war, or the volume formerly taken by Germany will have to be reduced. '

As regards coal, Italian industry largely depends upon imported supplies, her annual requirements being estimated at 12,000,000 tons. Three millions came from Britain last year. Supplies from her other principal scarce, Germany, can no longer come by sea. Much depends on the attitude of Switzerland. It is recalled that the Frankfurt-Basle line, one of the principal routes, is vulnerable to French military action. Italy’s normal imports of iron ore are 350,000 to 400,000 tons annually. The greater part comes from Spanish Morocco, via Melilla, and the rest from north-west Spain. Italy’s position in this respect is, therefore, highly vulnerable. In any case, the Italian steel industry has a very small capacity. Finally, it is clear that Italy’s food position cannot be too good, relying as she does so largely on imports. In this respect, her colonies are a definite liability to her —she must even send water as well as food to her Libyan troops. I