Germany is Ready to Strike

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 40, 17 February 1939, Page 7

Germany is Ready to Strike

May Demand Ukraine To-morrow AMERICA PASSES BIG PROGRAMME United Press Association.—By Electrlo Telegraph.—Copy risdit. Received Thursday, 7.5 p.m. WASHINGTON, Feb. 13. Tho House of Representatives passed President Roosevelt’s 376,000,000-dollar programme by 367 votes to 15, rejecting all attempts at amendment and carrying the live million-dollar provision for tho defence of Guam Island and authorising the expansion of tho Army Air Corps to 5500 ’planes. Representative Paco stated: “Germany is ready to strike. I think she may demand the Ukraine to-morrow and then Tunisia will be fought for. We aro safe as long as England and Franco stand, and we are in immediate danger when they fall.

“Is it not better for us to sell England and France the ’planes they need for defence than go to war ourselves with the victors if England and France aro defeated?”

FRANCE ORDERS 500 MORE U.S. WARPLANES

WASHINGTON, Feb. 15.

The French Embassy announced that tho French Air Mission had purchased over 500 new warplanes from the United States besides the 100 ordered last year.

Tho companies involved aro Douglas, Curtis, Glen Martin and the North American. The prices are not announced, but it is understood that the order involves over 60,000,000 dollars. AMERICAN ’PLANES ARRIVE FIRST OF 250 ORDERED (British Official Wireless.) Received Thursday, 9 p.m. RUGBY, Feb. 15. The first of the 250 Lockheed Hudson general reconnaisance aircraft which arc being built in the United States for the Royal Air Force have arrived at Liverpool and were conveyed to tho airport at Speke for final assembly and test flights. COASTAL DEFENCE LARGE NUMBER OF MEN TRAINED Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Feb. 15. The complete success of the scheme initiated in 1937 for training young men as a special reserve for coastal defence was referred to by the Minister of Defence, the Hon. F. Jones, to-day,

when he commented upon the splendid results obtained with both military and vocational training. A total of 568 men had been trained, of which 354 hud been posted to special territorial coast defence units, and 127 selected for permanent employment as regular soldiers or airmen. MOBILISING MAN POWER RESERVE FOR AIR FORCE Per Press Association. Last Night. 4 'As a result of an analysis of applications received for enrolment in the civil reserve of the Royal New Zealand , Air Force it is gratifying to learn that the general calibre and qualifications of l thoso who have applied for inclusion in tho register fully justifies Cabinet’s decision towards the end of last year to form a civil section of the Air Force Reserve,” said Hon. F. Jones, Ministei of Defence, in a statement to-day “The present scheme involves the compilation lor use in a national emergency of a register containing the names of those citizens whose qualifications fit them for service in the ground organisation essential to tho effectiveness of the Air Force.

“Training of members of the reserve in peace time is not contemplated, although certain groups may at a later stage be afforded an opportunity of receiving instruction so that their members may be able if called upon to adapt their civil professions or trades to Air Force requirements at short notice. Actual flying experience or tuition does not come withing the scope of this scheme.

“In order that tho Air Department may be able to assess the ability of individual members and thus decide the positions which they might be cajmble of filling, two qualified men have been appointed, one for each island, to interview members of the reserve in the engineering sections. One of the objects of the scheme is to ensure that, if men have to be called up in an emergency, it can be done with a minimum of interference to industry.

“For this reason it is proposed, subject to the convenience of employers, that interviews be held at the place of employment. This will enable the department to assess the possible consequences of a man’s withdrawal on the works concerned and thus ensure that in an emergency an undue number are not taken from one shop or industry. The co-operation of employers will greatly facilitate this phase of the scheme.

“In the meantime, it is not proposed to interview applicants for professional, administrative and clerical appointments. Further enrolments are still desired from among men in the engineering profession and in the allied trades of fitters, welders, motor mechanics, sheet metal workers, electricians and the like. When it is realised that for

overy one man in the air at least eight are required on the ground, the need for an adequate number of ground engineers and staff being available will be appreciated.

“Aero clubs throughout New Zealand are carrying out valuable training work with the assistance and co-operation of the Government and the numbers of men with flying experience are increasing rapidly.” DOMINION MAKES HASTE MR. SEMPLE PRAISES EFFORTS AUCKLAND, Last Night. An emphatic assertion that the Government was alive to its responsibilities regarding the defence of the Dominion and an expression of confidence that by the mechanised methods of preparing aerodromes the Government was making the greatest haste in strengthening the most essential aids to New Zealand’s defence was made by Hon. R. Semple, Minister of Public Works, during an inspection of the construction of the new military aerodrome at Whenuapai. The Minister expressed gratification at the rapidity with which the construction of the aerodrome was progressing.

“I want to congratulate the contractor and men on tho remarkable results they have shown on this very important work in so short a time,” said Mr. Semple. “They have made wonderful progress. Those who have been criticising are talking through their hats. If I had not introduced these methods of construction, we would not have done this work in the next 20 years with wheelbarrows, horses and carts. There is no system greater in the world than this for this type of job, and I challenge anyone to deny it.”