COMPLETE UNITY

Hokitika Guardian, 21 November 1939, Page 6

COMPLETE UNITY

BRITISH AND FRENCH FORCES

BRITISH PRESS COMMENT.

(Per British Official Wireless.)

RUGBY, November 19,

The early attainment of: complete British and French co-ordination in the sphere of joint Avar actuaries receives approving notice-' ill the Synday papers. The “Sunday Times” comments that co-operat)ioii in such matters will help to determine the war result no ress than the disposition of ships and tfoops and points out tjje absurdity, resulting from, the competitive factories of munitions and raw materials. Nevertheless, the editorial continues, such needs are easier to see than to meet, and satisfactory co-operation machinery could riot have been so quickly established but for the- experience of tlie last war.

“Working on that, the Allies have succeeded, after tAvo months, in reaching a point wliich took them about three years to attain.” Then greater difficulty Avas the attainment- of unity of military policy, which was not then solved until March, 1918, but now existed from the beginning of the war. Preparation is again much adA r anced as the fruits of experience. Although 200,000 men were recruited in 1914 in two months, the clothing and equipment problem Avas not solved until much later, and the departure of the Expeditionary Force almost denuded England of troops. Turning to the present war, the editorial continues: “But this time the first Aveek of the Avar found us with something like 1,000,000 men under arms in this island, and the first batch of militiamen, who had been embodied six weeks earlier, already getting «i well with their organisation and training, more than outnumbered the first two Kitchener contingents taken together.,Since then others have been called up, and there also has been a large intake- of volunteers.” Again, on the naval side, economic warfare did not begin until three years after the outbreak of Avar. Avhereas in the present war German cargoes Avhich in 1914-15 were allowed to enter Germany, thereby prolonging the struggle, were intercepted from the beginning by the Navy, working at concert pitch. “Unity,” the editorial concludes, “is a' form of strength, and we have done well this time to cultivate it early.” The “Observer”’ in a- commentary on the importance of the arrangements, takes the opportunity of appreciating the immensity of the French action. The- main war actions, so far, have been at sea, and this may have tended to make the British people take for granted the magnificent part played by the: Frepch. Not. sufficiently appreciated is the effect on civil life of a mobilised army of 5,000,000 men, but the effect of this magnificent army is apt to be lost behind the reiterated ‘quiet night’ of the French communiques.

“When in the last war the massed German forces attacked at Verdun, the whole French people ansAvered, ‘Us ne passeront pas,’ and proved it by formidable strength in action.

“To-day the reiterated French communiques about a ‘quiet night’ prove them a more formidable 'truth. For 10 Aveeks the massed German forees have not launched ,an, attack. The Maginot Line has presented a ‘quiet’ deterrent.”

: In the air and at sea France has shown as great a spirit. Even‘greater is the moral unity Avliich," the editorial concludes, may be summed up in the words used by the President (M, Lebrun) on greeting the neAV British Ambassador: “The two nations have pooled all their sons and all their resources in a conflict Avhich. has been forced upon them.”