BLACK WEEK

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXVI, Issue 15, 15 December 1945, Page 8

BLACK WEEK

TANG OF BITTERNESS. HARD PERIOD AHEAD. (N.Z. Press Association.—Copyright.) (Special Correspondent.) (Rec. 1 p.m.) LONDON, Dec. 14. This has been a black week for Britain with a tang of bitterness. The nation’s distrust and uneasiness at the United States Loan is fully reflected • in the House of Commons, where both major parties divided against themselves: , Yet it is realised that Britain has no alternative but to accept the loan, which Mr Churchill described as a “hard bargain.”

The black mood is caused by this realisation and' the fact , that in the hour of her weakness, wholly due to her unique and deliberate sacrifices, the country is competed to accept terms at which she cannot but feci resentment. The bitterness is due to the plain fact that the country must, as in 1940, settle down to a long period of real hard slogging work to rebiuld her fortunes, while at the same time being shackled to the United States until at least 2000 A.D. by the terms of the loan.

On top of this there is a feeling that the United States is ( not acting altogether wisely; that she is no paragon of virtue; and that unless, as the world’s dominating financial country, she handles the situation judiciously and objectively chaotic conditions may result.