TOPICS IN BRITAIN

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 May 1945, Page 8

TOPICS IN BRITAIN

DEMOBILISATION PLANS.

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

(Rec. 9.35 a.m.) LONDON, May 15. The people of Britain are settling down again to work after their victory celebrations, and the bunting which waved above the good natured, happy, well behaved crowds is gradually being taken clown. .There still remains a feeling that it is difficult to realise that the war really has ended, that there is need no longer for anxiety for men and women in the forces, and there is no need to worry about fresh methods of attack from the air. The chief interest among the forces, and naturally at home, is the method of demobilisation.. It will only be partial, for large forces will be required in the Far East and for policing Germany. Mr. Bevin is to announce in the House of Commons on May 16 the date of the release of the first of the serving men and women. It is expected that a start will be made in the latter half of June. There is reported to be dissatisfaction, at the speed of the Ministry of Labour machinery for changing over to peace-time industry, and it is reported to be widespread in many war plants throughout the country. Fears of an approaching period of chaos in the British manpower situation have been expressed by the workers’ trade union officials and employers in the industrial areas of the Midlands and the north-west. Thousands of redundant . workers whose high piece-rate earnings have been cut to basic pay are said to be kept waiting idle for weeks waiting for transfer to other work. Hundreds have been sent home to wait until a new ’job is found for them. At the same' time, employers in factories doing other than war work are in acute need of skilled labour, but say they cannot get men in sufficient numbers from the Ministry. The difficult period of transition has begun. ATTITUDE TO GERMANS. Wliile Mr. Churchill’s blunt remarks to Mr. de Valera have given wide satisfaction, there has been indignation at reports of high-ranking Germans living in comfort, being treated in a friendly manner, and even giving orders as in Denmark. General Eisenhower’s order served to allay this to some' extent, but many people are troubled that the German military leaders may gain some success in white washing themselves at the expense of the Nazi Party. British people who are always criticising themselves for being “too soft,” are determined that a tough attitude must be taken towards Germany, and are in no mood for reading reports of friendly conversations with German leaders. GENERAL ELECTION.

Speculation on the date of the general election continues and at oresent opinion tends to. point to Autumn. It is being said that the Conservatives want a Summer election, while ’Mr. Churchill’s prestige is at its highest, but that Labour wants to wait until Autumn in order that the public, and particularly the men in the forces, may be fully acquainted with the political position, and also to safeguard against any kind of emotional voting. It is thought possible that the Labour Party conference being held this coming Whitsun week-end may give a pointer as to when the end of the coalition may be expected.

FRICTION AMONG ALLIES.

In international affairs there has been general approval for the action of the British and .Americans in stating that the future of Trieste should be settled at (he peace table. But at the same time, nobody is particularly happy about the general situation, for, as Vernon Bartlett, M.P., points out in the “NewsChronicle,” even inside Germany settlements are being made which only a peace conference could alter bj‘ force. The Russians, for example, have authorised the Lublin Poles to establish their administration as far west as the Oder, but no published decision of the United Nations has ever announced this degree of dismemberment of Germany. The “Daily Herald” notes that the Greek Regent, Damaskinos, has sailed to the Dodecanese Islands to “plant the Greek flag,” and apparently he is claiming that this act anticipates the revision of Greek frontiers, to which the Allies have already agreed. ’FRISCO CONFERENCE.

With regard to the San Francisco Conference, there continues to be uneasiness as to precisely how the veto of the proposed world organisation would operate in an actual dispute. There is also reserve regarding the relation of the regional pacts to the universal system contemplated in the Charter.

There is a strong and growing feeling in Britain, to-day that the British Empire must stand solidly together after the war. Close friendship is desired with both the United States and Russia, but this nro-Empire background comes first. It is a somewhat disturbing experience to meet on the Continent both servicemen and returning prisoners of war and find that thev link the Empire and the United States together, but have mental reservations

REGARDING RUSSIA. This applies particularly to returned prisoners who had anything to do with the Russians. It is, of course, only one small section of what might be called public opinion, but I have vet to meet one returned prisoner liberated bv the Russians from the Germans who has a good word to say about the Russian Army. They are not enthusiastic about thejr treatment in prison camps by the Russians, and several stated that if. they had not escaped they woiild still be in the camps. One Canadian airman said American lorries had arrived at a camp in which he was held, but the Russians would not Jet the prisoners go. Nevertheless, about half of the camp broke through the wire, accompanied bv firing, and reached the lorries. This Canadian told this to a Brigadier in my hearing, and asked whether he thought it was serious. The Brigadier replied “no,” because the Russians had asked the Allies to remove the prisoners as soon as possible, and thought it was probable that the army orders had not yet reached the lower Russian ranks. , S A New Zealand Major who was senior British officer at a camp liberated by the Russians, told me that the only way he could get things done was when he eventually lost his temper and told the Russians what he thought of them. Then they agreed to his demands. Otherwise, he said, he and the other prisoners would still be in Poland. How much attention should be paid to these experiences against the background of Allied relations is difficult to say. But these statements are accurate reports of what returned prisoners of waihave said —and they are among the milder of the observations.

On the question of prisoners “The Times’s” military correspondent says that the difficulties which confront the commanders and statesmen ate actually greater than they were during the final days of the war with Germany, when victory was assured. He says there arc some 6,000,000 German prisoners of war whose future is /ow being discussed. It is obvious that they all cannot be kept in detention and that a proportion at least will have to be sent home as soon as possible. There are also

great numbers of displaced, persons awaiting repatriation, but who cannot be repatriated quickly. The correspondent considers that the British armies of occupation need to be strong, firstly, to complete the disarmament of Germany and oversee reorganisation, and secondly, to ensure that their future security is not prejudiced by their weakness.