REICH HIT HARD

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20900, 28 September 1942, Page 3

REICH HIT HARD

R.A.F. OFFENSIVE DEVELOPING WEIGHT ADMISSIONS IN BERLIN (By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright.) (British Official Wireless.) (9 a.m.) RUGBY, Sept. 27. Speaking of the Royal Air Force bombing offensive over Germany, the Foreign Secretary, Mr. Anthony Eden,said it would be a grave mistake to under-ratp its influence on the course of the war. Our offensive was at last developing weight and sustained power. The German blitz failed in 1941 because of the failure of the Luftwaffe 'in both these respects. Photographs and other sources of information were beginning to show that , our raids were hitting the Germans hard and even Dr. Goebbels had dropped his attempt to suppress thp effect of the damage. Last month he visited Cologne, Dusseldorl’ and the, Ruhr, and in a subsequent broadcast he' said that the populations of the regions threatened by air attack were at present bearing a particularly heavy part of the burdens and sacrifices of Germany. In June and July, 1940, said Mr. Eden, the Royal Air Force dropped 3500 tons of bombs on Germany. In the same two months of 1941, the total was 8500 tons, and in the first 14 days ol September this year no less than 5000 tons were dropped in nine raids, an average of over 500 tons in each raid. In the Cologne raid we dropped 1000 tons in 90 minutes. After referring to the strategic value of bombing Germany's industrial centres, Mr. Eden added: “I can assure you that we fully understand the importance of maintaining the bombing offensive and further strengthening its weight week by week, month-by month. That will be done.” . Relations After the War Turning to future relationships between Britain and foreign countries. Mr. Eden pointed to the many lessons which the war had taught us, adding that if, after the war ended, once again we sought to drift back to the good old times, which were not really so very good for many amongst us, if we imagined that all controls could be swept aside or that we could return to the economic anarchy of the old days, and above all, if we thought we could have peace and security on the cheap, then certainly we should bring not only discredit, but disaster upon ourselves.

Mr. Eden indicated that the problem of the relief of distress in Axisoccupied countries after the war had not been forgotten. The work of preparation was goirg forward, he said, and the United Nations between them must find both the will and the physical means to cope with the immediate problems of distress in the areas freed from Axis aggression. So far as the United Kingdom was concerned, he was sure that the British people as a whole would willingly submit to considerable sacrifices to relieve distress among their Allies on the Continent of Europe. An enduring settlement and a better world after the war could not be created unless on the basis of understanding, confidence and the will to see realities and face them. “The old world is dead,” said Mr. Eden. “It was dying even before it was broken in pieces by the hammers of Wotan and Thor.”