BRITAIN’S GREAT TASK

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 September 1945, Page 5

BRITAIN’S GREAT TASK

PATIENCE AND HARD WORK MR. ATTLEE'S. WARNING (Recd. 10 a.m.) LOLNDON, Sept. 12. Mr. Attlee, in a speech at the Trades Union Council said the spirit which inspired the war effort must be appliea to immense problems of reconstruction. “While we celebrate the victory over Fascism, Nazism and Japanese imperialism, we are also entering on another war, or rather a campaign in the war which has been waging many years to banish poverty, want and insecurity.” Mr. Attlee acknowledged the great work during the war by the workers general and organised labour particularly. The intensity of the struggle had meant correspondingly great disorganisation of Britain’s economy. The apppalling material destruction during tne war wasted the social capital built up-by past generations. There was grave shortages of immediate necessities. There was. bound to be intense distress throughout Europe in the Winter time.. The .position at home was not going to be easy.‘“l hold out no hope of great improvements in the near future. With the best of will we cannot overtake the housing shortage for many months. No Government in the existing circumstances can possibly do all it wishes. I know you will help us make the people realise they must be patient. Patience and hard work will bring us through the testing time ahead.” The first task at Washington, he said, was to ensure the essential supplied already ordered under lendlease would continue to come forward. Thereafter came the major question of the long-term arrangements. Mr. Attlee said taht the /international and political problems were equally serious and it was necessary to keep a sense of proportion to realise how small were some of the matters over which nations quarrelled compared with the magnitude of the losses tne war entailed. Outside Europe, were other great areas of possible disturbance, at the Middle East and the Far Eeast, the problem of self-government for the Indian peoples remained for settlement. These problems could only be solved by understanding between the peoples. There must be a change of heart if peace is to be something better than an uneasy interval between wars. NATIONAL SAVINGS DRIVE