Manawatu Evening Standard. MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 1940. BRITISH THOROUGHNESS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 229, 26 August 1940, Page 6

Manawatu Evening Standard. MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 1940. BRITISH THOROUGHNESS.

No more striking commentary on the British trait of' innate modesty could be imagined than that contained in Ministerial analyses of the progress of our war programme and our achievements on the fighting front. Almost to a fault, consistent self-depreca-tion has been substituted for quite justifiable pride in overtaking the great gap which early presented itself in our preparedness for a long war. And when the aerial conflict began in earnest, and Royal Air Force fighters opened their chapter of phenomenal successes against the vaunted enemy planes, it was characteristic of our undeviating sense of fairness that we preferred to leave judgment to the impartial confirmation _ of neutral observers. “The British reputation for under-statement,” as an American journalist has aptly phrased it, is one of the phenomena of the war so far, and its value should not be under-esti-mated. It contains in itself a x’esiliency and a modesty that provide strength to meet trials and encouragement to fight on. The success of our aeroplanes has not created self-satisfaction, but a determination to achieve even greater deeds, and it is reported that new bombers will be brought into service with twice the power of the machines that have created such widespread havoc in enemy territory. Early in the war British success appeared to be jeopardised by our emphasis on quality before quantity in the aircraft field. Now the enemy are learning to their cost that both quantity and quality are within the compass of British engineers and tradesmen: The fastest single-engine training plane in the world is being produced on the track assembly line system, while , our bombers and fighters are being constantly improved. After all,'it is a performance that accords with our tradition. When the Schneider Cup air speed contest was discontinued in 1931 Great Britain had won five out of eleven races —the last three in succession—and it was largely because Continental men and machines were so outclassed (Italy had not won since 1926) that the series was discontinued. On the .industrial front as a whole the same story is told. The Minister of Supply has presented what lie terms a “progress report” couched in extremely modest but heartening terms. Though he can announce that “we have an army that is armed—-an arms industry greater in output and far greater in future productive capacity than anyone would have dared to think possible three months ago,” Mr Morrison does not underrate the tasks lying ahead. Declaring '' we are far from catching up with the enemy, he can, however, tell us that “although we are not out

of tlie wood we are beginning to seo daylight through the trees.” The Minister speaks with a long and arduous campaign in mind —what he calls “worldwide tasks of defence and offence” — and it is on that basis that the immense arsenal that is Britain works day and night. In an allin war, there has been a wholehearted response by skilled men and women which promises to continue unimpaired. British thoroughness in the workshops, in the air, on the sea, and in'the trenches is the quality which will in good time earn us the victory.