KEEPING BALANCE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20629, 3 December 1941, Page 7

KEEPING BALANCE

AMERICAN INFLUENCE VIEWS OF GEN. BLAMEY (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. Dec. 2, 3 p.m.) SINGAPORE, Dec. 1. “The necessity to preserve civilisation is at present so great that if the American army, navy and people could immediately throw in their weight it would be the greatest possible factor at this juncture,” said the Australian commader in the Middle East, General Sir Thomas Blarney, in an interview. “My own great faith in the American individual people assures me that they will make their full effort in tlie long run, but that means a slow run and a costly one.” Praise for the joint war effort of New Zealand and Australia was given by the British Minister, Mr. A. Duff Cooper, at a press conference. The only criticism encountered in his visits to the two countries was from the Australians themselves, some of whom declared that they were not taking the war seriously enough. .His own impression was that they had no lack of appreciation of what war meant. Certainly there were many race meetings and people were enjoying themselves, but why should they not? he asked. He was tremendously impressed by the magnitude of Australia’s production and the expansion and development of new industries in the face of many difficulties. Mr. Duff Cooper refused to indicate the nature of his report to London, but declared that after conferring with the Australian and New Zealand Governments he found no changes necessary in the original draft which has now reached London.