SIR EARLE PAGE

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 August 1942, Page 6

SIR EARLE PAGE

ALLIES’ PRODUCTION

(N.Z.P.A. Special Australian Correspondent)

SYDNEY, August 16

“The Allies should soon be able to attack the ‘heart and head’ of the enemy,” said the Australian envoy to Britain and the United States, Sir Earle Page, on his return here. “There is no thought in England or America that the war could be lost. I have always believed that it would take about four years for the Allies to get into their stride; but the situation is now becoming very different. Increased Allied production is a revelation. Britain _is now launching ships within thirty days •ff the keels being laid, and they are ready for service eight days afterwards. We undoubtedly are beating the submarine menace in the Western Atlantic. Co-operation of the sea and air forces is sweeping the seas of submarines and, in time, this will be true of the Eastern Atlantic. He continued that Britain had already opened a second front by massed bomber raids on Germany. Ships, planes and tanks were being destroyed before they could be used against the Russians. A land front would come, but to open one prematurely would be to invite disaster. “British people thoroughly understand the position in this theatre, said Sir Earle Page. “When our plight looked desperate, they even pulled guns out of their emplacements to send to us.” Commenting on the Solomon Islands battle, he said that effective action against the Japanese now would be three times as valuable as the action next year. . SiT Earle Page has resigned . the post as special envoy on account of ill health.