Removal of Spectre Of Fear

Manawatu Times, Volume 70, Issue 267, 12 November 1945, Page 6

Removal of Spectre Of Fear

(By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) LONDON, Nov. 9. “We have already had experience of the atomic bomb and we cannot be sure that science applied to warfare will not discover other more terrible weapons,” said the Prime Minister (Mr. Attlee), speaking at the Lord Mayor’s luncheon before his departure for America. Mr. Attlee said he and President Truman intended to discuss world affairs “in the terrible light of the discovery of atomic energy.” “The question facing us is not so much how to control the new devastating force loosed on the world, as what kind of society is necessary in the world where a few bombs might utterly destroy great cities and the work of centuries of human endeavour,” he said. “One cannot conceive today any extension of territory or any grandiose dream of domination which has the slightest value in the face of this danger. ’ ’ He said he would go to America with the object of exchanging ideas on how best they could lift from the ordinary man and woman the spectre of fear that haunted them.

Big Industrial Change The economic switchover going on. in Britain constituted an industrial revolution greater in size and speed than any previously in this or any other country, said Mr. Attlee. As a result of planned releases from the k vices and munition industry about 4,000,000 persons would have changed their occupations between VPDav and the end of year. He did not claim that tho Gove.-ment planning and supervision had been faultless, but the absence of any major dislocation or unemployment was some tribute to the success with which it had been planned and executed. There were already encouraging, visible signs r A -’ncreased production of the things everybody wanted. The Government regarded the revival of the export trade as of prime importance. “It is our firm intention that this country should be able to stand on its own feet at the earliest possible moment, and therefore be the master of its political as well as economic destiny,” he said. “We are seeking to get rid not only if the fear of war, but also of the fear of want. There is far more agreement throughout Britain than ever before on the need for giving our people economic and social security. We are seeking to provide an all-embracing scheme worthy of a great people. ‘‘ I think it well that this country and the world should know the extent of the effort we were preparing against Japan. Our forces, after destroying about 130,000 Japanese who operated against Burma, were preparing to advance to Siam. Further forces comprising 250,000 men- from all parts of the British Commonwealth were preparing to liberate Malaya and Singapore and thus open tho short sea route to the Pacific. Commonwealth * Force “In the South-West Pacific there were six Australian Divisions and we were preparing a composite Commonwealth Force—Australian, Canadian, New Zealand and British—to take part in the actual invasion of Japan. “Jn total we were planning to deploy in India and east of India 2,500,000 troops. The R.A.F. together with the Canadian, Australian, New Zealand, Indian and South African Air Forces, would have put into the air 177 combat squadrons of which 20 would have been heavy bombnig squadrons particularly detailed for the strategic night bombing of Japan.

“The Pacific Fleet, already large when Japan fell, was to have been bulit up to some 540 ships of all kinds including four battleships, 14 large carriers, IS small carriers, seven flotillas of destroyers and 350 landing craft. This would have included Canadian, Australian and New Zealand ships. In addition there is the British East Indies Fleet which, with South African, Indian, French and Dutch ships made a total of 435 ships and 740 coastal and landing craft. “The total number of fighting men and women from the Empire and Commonwealth would have numbered 3,500,000, of whom approximately 3,750,00* would have come from this country alone. “I make these figures available, not to boast, but to show that we were doing our bit to play our full share in the same way as we have in every other theatre of war.”