BRITISH PEOPLE TIRED BUT DETERMINED: SECOND WIND NEAR

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 22889, 8 March 1949, Page 6

BRITISH PEOPLE TIRED BUT DETERMINED: SECOND WIND NEAR

“COMING OUT OF IT!”

"People in Britain are having a hard time, hut they are pretty determined to get back to their old independent position, and, despite the present difficulties in the domestic and international field they are making sound progress. I think it is quite accurate to say that we are coming out of the post-war lassitude,” stated Canon L. G. Mannering, of Bristol, discussing yesterday the Homeland scene.

It is six months since Canon Mannering left England on a Commonwealth tour in connection with the Bible-Reading Fellowship, of which he is the founder. He does not claim to have up-to-the-minute information on affairs in Britain, but he indicated to an interviewer that changes take place slowly there, and that what was true last September is probably unchanged today. Reaction to Shock Treatment It was a sad blow to the hopes of all British people when, with the end of the war, they were told that rationing must continue indefinitely; and when the economy crisis of two years ago confirmed their worst fears of a long siege of toil, sweat, and — for the food-finding housewife at least —tearsThe crisis brought another severe shock when it revealed how far Britain had slipped from her pre-war eminence in international affairs. ■*Tbis shock treatment was severe, but at least it had a salutary effect in bringing people right up against the national problems. Gloomy as were the prospects it revealed, it produced a reaction something akin to that which followed the collapse of Britain’s allies in 1940. This reaction was not universal, and political issues complicated to some extent the position of many people, but its real effect was now becoming apparent.

He was not interested in politics, and did not wish to offer any opinion upon the results Of the present policy in Britain. Obviously there were many people who disagreed intensely with the Government’s nationalisation measures, and with other planks in its platform. But it could not be said that that dislike was by any means general. Rationing Heads Domestic Issues

'Nationalisation, for instance, was a remote issue for the ordinary citizen who probably cared less about the management of big industries than about the troubles , that afflicted him personally.

Among the. domestic issues, that most frequently discussed was the food rationing. This touched every household in some degree , and city households were constantly up against the' problems of finding food and making it reasonably attractive. Mothers of families were the principal bearers of the rationing burden, and there were frequent of criticism. But for all the criticism, there was a stoic acceptance of present' conditions backed by the hope that things would get better. “I think that people generally regard Sir Stafford Cripps as a man of outstanding ability who feels the impact of economic problems upon _ the individual.” said Canon Mannering. Monotony of Food Supplies

“What he has told them bluntly has been recognised as the basic truth, and the cautious commitments he has made in prophesying an improvement have'been justified. “.His handling of the situation has suited the British temperament, and has bolstered the dogged determination to battle through to better times. “Sheer monotony is the worst angle of the food situation, and in this connection the generosity of friends of Britain in all parts of the world has had 5 remarkable effect.” “My own experience of the receipt »f gift parcels is probably fairly reprelentative. The arrival of a parcel espe:ially if it contains fat, is a wonderful ife to personal morale. More importmt than the food, of course, is the feeing of goodwill the senders express.

“Those who can benefit most from iverseas generosity are the lonely )epple in the cities, who have no •ecourse to supplies from country dis:ric|s, and who have to exist on the aare ration scale. Any scheme which ;eeßs to benefit this group is doing the rtmost possible to help the people of 3ritain.”